


yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory

by apricots



Category: Death Note, Persona 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Attempted Murder, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes & Criminals, Crossover, Disordered Eating, Dubious Consent, Emotional Manipulation, Everyone Is Gay, Hate Ship - Freeform, M/M, Mid-Canon, Murder, POV Second Person, Shadows (Persona 4), Slow Burn, Unreliable Narrator, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-07-11 01:50:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 101,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7020835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apricots/pseuds/apricots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Near's investigation into Kira backs him further into a corner, Light Yagami decides to leave the case entirely. Telling everyone he needs a break, he goes to Inaba to relax and to help the local police solve a multiple murder case. He immediately recognizes Tohru Adachi as the culprit, but finds that he can't prove it or kill him.<br/>He's forced to cooperate with Yu Narukami and his gaggle of insufferable gay friends in order to bring Adachi to justice and unravel the supernatural mysteries in Inaba.</p><p>(Mostly) anime verse Light, (mostly) Golden verse P4 cast. No Marie. Written (roughly) in the style of Persona 4.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever

  
**> Investigation Headquarters...**  
  
Light Yagami  
"I can't focus on the investigation right now. I think it would be best if I stepped aside for a while..."  
  
Light Yagami  
"...I don't want to leave you short-handed, but I'm afraid in the state I'm in you'll be shorthanded either way."  
  
> The investigation team look like they want to disagree.  
> You look into the middle distance, eyes tired. They all look at the dark circles under your eyes, your rumpled clothing, your slumped shoulders. You look like your father.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I just need a break. This is all getting to be too much for me."  
  
> Your father never took breaks. He overworked himself until he died. They can see a future where you work yourself into an even earlier grave, grief-stricken and alone.  
  
Touta Matsuda  
"Of course, Light-kun! Anyone would need a break after what you've been through. You should take as much time as you need."  
  
Shuichi Aizawa  
"It's not really a break, though, if you're going to be working. Will you really be able to rest in Inaba?"  
  
> Aizawa is a father. He feels responsible for you, now that your real father is dead.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I think it'll be good for me to be able to do real police work and actually help people."  
  
> You smile (nobly, through the pain) and they all look sad for you.  
> Poor Yagami-kun, old before his time. Poor Yagami-kun, barely got a chance to enjoy his youth.  
> You never got a chance to work real cases like the rest of them; you became a cop and dove right back into the Kira case. They feel bad for you.  
  
> Before you go, there's just one more question.  
  
Touta Matsuda  
"Light-kun, you're not taking Misa-Misa with you?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"Ah... no... not this time."  
  
Touta Matsuda  
"A break, huh...? I see how it is."

  
**> The train rumbles along the tracks...**  
> You are moving to Inaba today.  
> Not permanently. Just for a while.  
> You and N were both contacted in your capacity as L and asked to help with the ongoing investigation into the murders of Mayumi Yamano, Saki Konishi, and Kinshiro Morooka.  
> Supposedly the case is "closed," now, but they still don't have any evidence, they don't really know how the crimes were committed, and there are a lot of unresolved questions and inconsistencies.  
> It's hardly solved at all.  
> You can't let them convict an innocent person for serial murder. That's unacceptable.  
> You have to make sure they've arrested the right person.  
  
N  
"Oh... you're going to go, after all?"  
  
N  
"Hmm..."  
  
N  
"As long as you go as Light Yagami, and not as L, that's fine by me."  
  
Shuichi Aizawa  
("Fine...? Near...")  
  
Light Yagami  
"Of course. It wouldn't be like L to get involved in a small-town case like this."  
  
N  
"...As you say."  
  
N  
"Also, the Detective Prince is already on the case, and I would hate to step on his toes by adding another big-name detective into the mix."  
  
Touta Matsuda  
"Ehhhh?? The Detective Prince isn't L?!"  
  
Shuichi Aizawa  
"Matsuda... just how behind are you?"  
  
> Near paused for sort of a long time. You thought he was offended at the idea of being associated with someone with such a flamboyant name.  
  
N  
"Naoto Shirogane is not affiliated with myself or L in any way."  
  
N  
"I believe the previous L worked with him once or twice. But I can't say for certain."  
  
Light Yagami  
"Really? In that case... He fits the Kira profile. If you can't vouch for him, maybe I should investigate him while I'm in Inaba. Just in case."  
  
Touta Matsuda  
"Ah...! A high school student from the region, super intelligent, with access to police files... you're right!"  
  
Touta Matsuda  
"Wait... if he's in high school now... he would have been a little kid five years ago! Like, in middle school!"  
  
Light Yagami  
"You'd be surprised how advanced kids can be."  
  
Light Yagami  
"...Right, Near?"  
  
N  
"...I'm not a child."  
  
N  
"Still, that's an interesting suggestion, Light."  
  
> He wasn't convinced. You didn't think he would be.  
  
N  
"I hope you can get the rest you need in Inaba, even though you'll be working."  
  
N  
"I hear it's very peaceful out there."  
  
> So "L" recommended Light Yagami for the Inaba job instead, and here you are on your way to the countryside.  
  
> Ryuk swoops up and down looking at the magazines in people's hands, wondering out loud what the apples are like in small-town Japan. He seems to like the train.  
> You think he wishes you would travel more. He gets restless easily. The novelty of the train, for now, is entertaining enough for him.  
> He'll start complaining again soon, about how the case was just getting exciting, about how you've spoiled the game by wandering off to the countryside where nothing ever happens. In the mean time, though, you enjoy the silence.  
> You press your head against the window and listen to the news on your earbuds with the volume low enough that you could hear any kind of commotion on the train.  
> Just in case something comes up.  
> You never know.  
  
> The city melts into fields outside the window...  
  
> N wants you to feel trapped.  
> He's trying to back you into a corner.  
> You're not going to let that happen.  
> He can't follow you to such a small town himself, and anyone he puts on you will be obvious.  
> You left him with his hands full of Takada and Mikami and Misa and a dozen other false starts. While he's untangling that mess and getting nowhere, you'll be...  
> Relaxing.  
> The unsolved murders will entertain you for a few days at most, and after that... you think you'll be filling out paperwork and chasing pursesnatchers.  
> ...Whatever it is that small-town cops do in the peaceful world you created for them. You're not entirely sure. Apart from this case, Inaba doesn't have much crime at all. You hear they used to have problems with gangs, but not any more.  
> You think you will mostly just be living there.  
> You haven't "just lived" anywhere in a long time.  
  
> You think about what persona you ought to use in Inaba.  
  
> You know Light Yagami from the investigation team and the one from school are too confident.  
> Small-town detectives won't take kindly to your presence on principle: a big-city upstart kid with high test scores and a fancy degree.  
> These people won't gravitate towards the prestige of your resume. They'll think you're stuck-up and imperious without ever interacting with you.  
> They'll think you think you're better than they are.  
> A confident Light Yagami is no good for this situation. You'll have to be as far from their expectations as possible in order to counteract them.  
> Any hint of confidence will be taken as arrogance. Any assertiveness will be taken as aggression.  
> It seems that deference and a positive attitude are the way to go.  
> Optimistic in the face of hardship, an eager young cop ready to make a difference in the world. He knows he's young and that he has a lot to learn, and he's just happy to have a job at all. He doesn't resent being transferred to the countryside.  
> You soften your stiff posture and smile out the window.  
> They won't like you if your posture is too perfect.  
> You're out of practice with smiling. Light Yagami has been in mourning, after all, and worn down by the pressures of the job, and all that.  
> Smiling hasn't been appropriate.  
> You examine your reflection and adjust your smile.  
> Softer. Crinkle the eyes.  
> Perfect. You hold it for a moment to let the muscle arrangement sink in.  
  
Light Yagami, A Cheerful Freshman Cop  
"The stars are so beautiful out here. You know in the city there's too much light pollution, you can't see the stars at all."  
  
Light Yagami, A Cheerful Freshman Cop  
"Isn't country living wonderful? So much better than the big city. Small-town people are just more real, you know?"  
  
> This is your first job as a police officer.  
> It's better if they don't know about the Kira case. You shouldn't brag _._ They won't like that at all.  
> Ambition is pointless and alienating; it's much better to be hardworking and loyal. Respect your senpai.  
> The case is classified anyway; no one could give you away even if they wanted to.  
> Ryuzaki would have, just to make things difficult for you, but he's not here and N isn't like that. This isn't personal for him.  
  
Ryuzaki (Hypothetically)  
"What's the matter, Yagami-kun? Aren't you proud of the work you've done on the Kira case? Although, I suppose you haven't caught him yet..."  
  
> ...Something like that.  
> He really was annoying.  
> Anyway...  
> Your father was a cop, killed by gangsters in a raid. That doesn't need to change. They'll like a bit of tragedy.  
> Sayu might push the tragedy into suspicious territory, though.  
> Too much bad luck starts to seem like you're looking for attention.  
> You'll keep your personal life to yourself for the most part, and they'll know why when they find out about the tragedies plaguing your family.  
> You let your smile fade a little, let it go sad and distant.  
> It looks very convincing.  
  
Light Yagami, A Tragic Young Man Doing His Best  
"I just need a break from it all."  
  
> You should be a little bit poor, you think.  
> Not _poor_ -poor.  
> A down-on-your-luck recent graduate.  
> A twenty-something with a dead dad and a subpar apartment.  
> They'll like that. It will make sure you have something in common. You can commiserate about things like bad plumbing.  
  
Light Yagami  
"...!?"  
  
> The Junes jingle interrupts the soft murmur of the local news.  
> Your carefully composed face twitches into something sour and irritable.  
  
Radio  
"Every day's great at _your_ Ju- _nes_!"  
  
> You absolutely hate jingles.  
> You click the end of your pencil a few times, then push the lead back in.  
> ...Then you do it again.  
> Aggravating.  
> The pitch. The music. Everything about it is annoying.  
> You take a deep breath and go back to thinking about Light Yagami, the new kid in town.  
> Speaking of Junes... you've already staked out your position on the Junes situation.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Not Very Political  
"It's great that they provide options and jobs for low-income people, but it really is awful how so many local cornerstones of the community are being pushed out of business."  
  
> Sympathy all around. Straight down the middle of the road. Everyone will think you're on their side.  
> After that, either shift tracks to "the economy" or give them a little well-what-can-you-do shrug, depending.  
> Light Yagami is not very political. He's just interested in doing the right thing.  
> You think this version skims the paper and listens to the radio, but isn't terribly absorbed with current events.  
> He can carry on a conversation, but it won't hold his interest.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Not Very Political  
"I'm just not really a political person."  
  
Ryuzaki  
"Yagami-kun… saying you're not political is itself a political thing to do. You know that, right?"  
  
> You suddenly think about Ryuzaki. L.  
> He liked to needle at you every time you said that.  
> You were usually trying to avoid getting into any "real-talk" conversations with the team.  
  
Ryuzaki  
"What do you mean by that, Yagami-kun?"  
  
Ryuzaki  
"Everything is political, Yagami-kun."  
  
Ryuzaki  
"Every action exists in a context, Yagami-kun."  
  
> If you tried to disengage he wouldn't let you.  
> He would keep you up at night fiddling with the cuff chain and muttering at you until you got up and engaged him in a debate.  
  
Ryuzaki  
"One of the most dangerous things about the state lies in its ability to make itself invisible, Yagami-kun."  
  
> Ryuzaki liked to brag about how he read Foucault in French, instead of an English translation.  
> Starting an argument with him never failed to be absolutely unbearable.  
> This one wasn't even a real argument. You had no stake in it whatsoever. You don't think he did either.  
> But he'd still insist on having the argument anyway because he wanted to see how you'd do it.  
> He liked to test the persona. Poking away at the imperfect edges. Snatching hold of little details. Watching you slip further away from the truth with his depthless black eyes.  
> He liked to see you spinning elaborate arguments you didn't agree with.  
> At the time you thought he was trying to upset you.  
> Now you wonder if he just liked watching you work.  
  
> ...  
  
> You imagine him sitting across from you on this train.  
> Knees tucked to his chest, staring out the window without blinking, chewing on his fingernails.  
> He would turn suddenly to stare at you, tug out your earbuds, and insist you talk to him. He would ignore any complaints you made.  
  
Ryuzaki (Hypothetically)  
"Do you prefer cities or the countryside, Yagami-kun?"  
  
> They never really considered rural areas in the investigation. They pinpointed the location almost immediately. And the profile didn't fit with someone based in a rural area.  
> But of course it was a question of preference. What would Kira prefer?  
> The countryside is quiet, away from the chaos of the city. Something in the simplicity would appeal to Kira. The respite from the scum of humanity. And the countryside is where people go to hide, to escape things.  
> The city, perhaps, then.  
> But that seemed too obvious.  
> In a city Kira could blend into the crowd, could find his victims easily, could have more of an alibi. You're looking for a student? There's a million of them.  
> Either way, you look suspicious. Either answer could be traced back to Kira one way or another.  
> You would end up circling back to the truth after painting yourself into a corner.  
> As you often did.  
  
Light Yagami (Hypothetically)  
"The city, I think, although I never spent much time in the countryside."  
  
> L would chew on his nails and eat something loudly.  
> It would be very annoying.  
  
Ryuzaki (Hypothetically)  
"I like cities, too. Things are open later. It's difficult to get late-night food in the country."  
  
> He'd say something like that...  
> You would wonder if maybe L was actually just making chitchat and maybe his eyes just looked like that all the time and he couldn't help it.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Ryuzaki..."  
  
> The seat across from you is empty...  
> You stare distantly at the textured blue cushion...  
> You try to blink away the outline of his hunched shoulders in the abstract lines...  
> Ryuk drops into the seat and makes a face at you.  
> You wrinkle your nose.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Don't make faces, Ryuk. You're already too ugly."  
  
Ryuk  
"Ahhh, you're so mean~"  
  
> He curls around until he's upside-down.  
> You ignore him and test your new smile again to make sure you have the muscle memory.  
  
**> Yasoinaba Station...**  
  
> A middle-aged man who has two kids with him calls out to you.  
  
Middle-Aged Man  
"Yagami?"  
  
> His voice is familiar... this is the gravelly middle-aged man you spoke to on the phone. Ryotaro Dojima.  
> Ryotaro Dojima is square-jawed and exhausted and has his sleeves rolled up to the elbows. He looks like a cop, and reminds you in a vague way of your father.  
> Maybe it's the tall teen boy standing next to him, or something in his posture.  
> It's certainly not the stench of cigarettes wafting off him.  
> You tug out your earbuds and give him the same bright smile you used to give the parents of girls you dated in high school.  
  
Light Yagami, The First Decent Boy Your Daughter Has Brought Home  
"That's me. You must be… Dojima-san?"  
  
> It seems more real if you pretend to hesitate. Immediate recognition here would be unsettling.  
> Only a little bit, but you don't want to get off on the wrong foot.  
> You shake his hand...  
> He has a firm handshake and coarse large hands. A working man's hands.  
> It seems he's a very down-to-earth type.  
  
Ryotaro Dojima  
"Welcome to Inaba."  
  
Ryotaro Dojima  
"You look younger than I expected."  
  
> He's very blunt.  
> He seems annoyed that you look young.  
> Your eyes flick over the two kids with him: elementary school and high school. He doesn't have a wife with him. A single parent.  
> Being a single parent is exhausting. He's sick of young people and their energy.  
> You should be deferent and enthusiastic, but not too enthusiastic.  
> Dojima is clearly too exhausted for high-energy optimism.  
> You adjust, slightly.  
> He's tired. You could be tired, too. He'll like that.  
> A less chaotic young person, old before his time; he'll think of you like a peer more easily if you provide contrast to the young people in his life.  
> No spouse, but still has the children. Since he's a man, he's likely not divorced, or the kids would be with the woman.  
> You look him over again... He's definitely not gay.  
> A widower, then. You can bond over your tragedies.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I'm twenty-three."  
  
Dojima  
"Right... Not a teenager, then."  
  
> He sighs and rubs his neck.  
  
Dojima  
"Well, that's something, at least."  
  
Light Yagami  
"Sorry?"  
  
> You're not sure what he means by that.  
> Too many teenagers in his life?  
> There's just the one with him.  
> Maybe there's a lot of troublesome kids in town?  
> He doesn't explain.  
> Dojima waves you off, dismissive, and steps back. He puts a hand on the little girl's head.  
> She is dressed in all pink, with little curled pigtails and big eyes. The Platonic ideal of a little girl.  
> She is adorable.  
  
Dojima  
"This here's my daughter, Nanako."  
  
> He looks down at her and smiles encouragingly.  
  
Dojima  
"Say hi, Nanako. This is Yagami, he'll be working with me at the police station."  
  
Nanako Dojima  
"..."  
  
> She looks concerned.  
  
Nanako  
"Hello..."  
  
> She is extremely small.  
> She sounds nervous.  
> You immediately feel a powerful urge to keep her safe.  
> There is nothing in her but childlike innocence, that purity of the soul that most people outgrow quickly.  
> You love her immediately and deeply. She is your child, Kira's child; you are building a world safe for _her._ She's the reason. Everything you have done, you have done for this girl. The world is corrupt and filthy, not worthy of her presence, her grace.  
> You smile down at her.  
> She is shy and Dojima lets her cling to his hand. He stands a little bit in front of her. He is protective.  
> He ought to be. She is so frail.  
> She has to be protected from the filth of this world.  
> If he is a widower, she's lost her mother already.  
> How horrible.  
> You must find out what happened to the mother.  
> Ryuk hovers over Nanako, upside-down and wheezing an unpleasant cackle.  
> You ignore him.  
  
KIRA, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"Nice to meet you, Nanako-chan."  
  
> She smiles and seems to relax a little bit.  
> You feel good about that.  
  
Dojima  
"And this is my nephew, Yu Narukami."  
  
> He claps the high school boy on the back.  
> Nephew, not son. You take note, and feel even more for Nanako. She doesn't even have any siblings.  
> Narukami is staring at you with strange wide gray eyes...  
> When you look at him and hold out your hand, he jumps and his cheeks flush slightly.  
> You dislike him immediately.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"H-hello."  
  
> He takes your hand hurriedly, clearly embarrassed.  
> His hand and wrist are covered in little wounds. Papercuts and cat scratches.  
> Some of the scratches have cutesy pink bandages on them.  
> His palms are slightly sweaty.  
> His eyes keep flicking over you, quick and nervous, face-chest-dick. You have gotten that look more times than you'd care to count.  
> You glance at Dojima. Does he know his nephew is gay?  
> Probably not. Dojima seems old-fashioned. You tuck that bit of information away as potentially useful and you look back at Narukami.  
> His eyes are still doing that nervous gay flicker.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Heterosexual Colleague  
"Nice to meet you."  
  
> You do not say "pleasure." You speak in a pleasant but authoritatively older-than-you tone.  
> You don't want to encourage him.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Yeah..."  
  
> ...You think you somehow encouraged him anyway.  
> You do not let him hold onto your hand for too long.  
> You do not wipe your hand on your pants, although you want to very badly.  
> Ryuk lands on the ground and hunches over Narukami, chuckling.  
  
Ryuk  
"Light, he liiiikes you."  
  
> Ryuk points at Narukami's hands.  
> He's fidgeting.  
> Specifically, he is rubbing his thumb over his palm where you touched him.  
  
Ryuk  
"He liiiiiiiiiiiiiikes you."  
  
> It seems that Ryuk is right, for once.  
  
Dojima  
"Just wanted to introduce myself, give you my number, let you know I'm happy to show you around town if you'd like a guide."  
  
> He shoves a crumpled scrap of paper at you. It has a phone number scrawled on it.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Thank you so much, Dojima-san. I wouldn't want to inconvenience you, though."  
  
Yu Narukami  
"I could show you around town."  
  
> Yu Narukami seems like he's trying hard not to look excited.  
  
Dojima  
"Oh, yeah. You two might get along. Yu is from the city, too... and closer to your age than I am."  
  
> He looks at you like you're a child. Again you are reminded of your father.  
> You have to be deferent and positive. There is no suitably polite response that says no.  
> A "no" here establishes you as unsociable and standoffish, which is precisely what you are trying to avoid.  
> You have to accept Yu Narukami's offer.  
> You smile at Dojima and not at Narukami.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Heterosexual Colleague  
"I'm sure we will. He reminds me of my younger sister."  
  
Ryuk  
"Hahaha! This guy and Sayu, huh?"  
  
> Yu Narukami is nothing like your younger sister, but saying he reminds you of her ought to tell him where you stand...  
> He doesn't look very disappointed.  
> It seems that Narukami is an extremely optimistic person.  
  
Dojima  
"Great. Where are you staying? Do you need directions?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"I'm staying at the Amagi Inn for now. The apartment I was going to move into had some kind of flood about a week ago, and they said they're still fixing everything."  
  
> The Amagi Inn is a local landmark... the only well-known thing about Inaba.  
> Misa said she heard there's a beautiful woman working there.  
> ...You think she was talking about the famous "teenage manager."  
  
Dojima  
"Right, right."  
  
> Dojima seems uncomfortable making small talk. He looks awkward.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Ah, and I don't need directions. I got some off the website. Thank you for the offer."  
  
> It takes some time, but you manage to extract yourself from the situation without making prolonged eye contact with Narukami again.  
> This is difficult, because he keeps staring at you.  
> His eyes remind you of Ryuzaki... but you're not sure why.  
> He looks like he's memorizing your face.  
> He keeps staring at you even as you're walking away.  
  
**> The Amagi Inn...**  
  
> No sign of the "teenage manager" today.  
> It seems Yu Narukami will be showing you around town sometime in the next few days...  
> You start work at the police station tomorrow...


	2. your kingdom come, your will be done

  
**> The Amagi Inn...**  
  
> You are getting ready for work.  
  
Ryuk  
"Light... hey, Light."  
  
Ryuk  
"Light, there's a weird girl watching you brush your teeth. I think she's spying on you."  
  
> In the bathroom mirror you can see him pointing through the doorway. You nod at him so he'll stop shouting at you.  
> Ryuk doesn't provide you with any more details about the girl.  
> When you're finished brushing your teeth, you walk out of the room like you would have normally.  
  
Spying Girl  
"EEK!"  
  
> Somehow, you managed to startle her...  
> The "weird girl" looks traditional, but not particularly weird.  
> She looks sort of weird plastered against the wall, red cellphone clutched defensively to her chest, but apart from that she doesn't look weird. You're not sure what Ryuk was talking about.  
> The red kimono she's wearing suits her. She'd be pretty, if she didn't have an expression of exaggerated surprise on her face.  
> This is, you assume, the famously beautiful teenage manager of the Amagi Inn. Yukiko Amagi.  
  
Light Yagami, A Nonthreatening Regular Guy  
"Good morning."  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"G-good morning!"  
  
> She bows.  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"I'm so sorry for shrieking like that!"  
  
Light Yagami, A Nonthreatening Regular Guy  
"That's okay."  
  
> She straightens up, brushing hair out of her face.  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"Um... just so you know, I wasn't spying or doing anything suspicious!"  
  
> She is a terrible liar.  
> She was definitely spying on you, but only in a curious teenager way. She's not working for N. Awkward teenagers hardly seem like his style.  
  
Light Yagami, A Nonthreatening Regular Guy  
"There's not much to spy on."  
  
Ryuk  
"I don't know, you're a pretty sexy guy without your shirt on, Light."  
  
> He laughs loudly and spins around on one toe like a ballerina.  
> You think it's about time he went back to Mikami. He's very distracting.  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"Yeah, so I mean, why would I be investigating you? Why would I be investigating anything? I'm not any kind of investigator! There's nothing going on!"  
  
> She looks flustered by her own inability to lie effectively. Her hands flutter to her face.  
  
Yukiko Agami  
"Oh, no."  
  
> You wonder what kind of investigator she could possibly be, if she's this unsubtle. "There's nothing going on," huh...  
> You think she seems a bit too old to be one of those kids who likes to play detective, but you can't imagine she's up to anything more complex.  
  
Light Yagami, A Nonthreatening Regular Guy  
"Nice to meet you, Amagi-san. I should really get going. I have work."  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"Work... You're here to help with the serial murder investigation, right?"  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"Even though it's supposed to be closed...?"  
  
> She looks at you almost expectantly. It looks like there's something she wants to say to you.  
> Maybe she's in some sort of trouble. You know she gets harrassed... her "beautiful manager" reputation is basically harrassment. She's just a kid.  
> You wonder how many men come here just to see her.  
> It takes some effort to stop yourself from scowling.  
> It could be that... but she asked specifically about the murders.  
> Two of the victims are associated with Yasogami High School.  
> One of the murder victims, Saki Konishi, was a student. And Kinshiro Morooka was a teacher.  
> There's only one high school in Inaba. It's small, too. Yukiko must have known the victims.  
> Yukiko doesn't seem like someone who is afraid for her life. You don't think she is being threatened. Maybe she knows something.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Here To Help  
"That's right."  
  
> You don't elaborate on the status of the case, giving her room to say whatever she wants to say.  
> But she just nods to herself.  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"Oh, I should let you get going. I'm sorry for holding you up, Yagami-san."  
  
> She bows again.  
> You go back to your room.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Ryuk, go back to following Mikami."  
  
Ryuk  
"Ahhh, I don't wanna. That guy is boring and it's interesting here."  
  
> You try to think of what you've seen that might have interested Ryuk...  
> But you can't think of anything.  
> Everyone you've met has been very ordinary.  
> He doesn't know anything more about the murders than you do.  
> Could he have seen another shinigami...?  
> Impossible.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Interesting? What do you mean?"  
  
> He bends his body ninety degrees, sideways.  
  
Ryuk  
"You didn't notice her? Ehh, I guess you're human, so it makes sense..."  
  
Light Yagami  
"Her?"  
  
Ryuk  
"Izanami, of course. I-za-na-mi."  
  
> The mother goddess?  
> That's ridiculous.  
> But if shinigami are real... is it that much of a stretch to believe that there could be other things?  
> ...  
> You decide to indulge Ryuk for now.  
  
Light Yagami  
"What's so interesting about her?"  
  
Ryuk  
"She's got something up her sleeve... I want to see how it turns out."  
  
Light Yagami  
"What is it?"  
  
Ryuk  
"Kuhuhuhu... Not telling."  
  
> You scowl at him.  
> There's no reason for him to keep this a secret from you. He's just being difficult.  
> Well, no matter... if it's important you'll figure it out yourself. You don't need Ryuk to explain.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Well, interesting or not, you have to go back to Mikami and tell him to proceed as planned. I need him to contact Kiyomi for me."  
  
Ryuk  
"Ehhhh?! No fair! Where's your sense of curiosity?? Don't you want to find out about Izanami's plan??"  
  
Light Yagami  
"..."  
  
> Ryuk thinks you can't figure it out on your own.  
> If there even is something going on. He could just be making things up to try to convince you to keep him around.  
> Izanami-no-Mikoto... a Shinto goddess. Where would Ryuk have found out about a Shinto goddess? He couldn't make that up. He's not that creative.  
> You're not convinced that there's really a goddess here, but it seems unwise to dismiss the idea out of hand.  
> Even if there is, though...  
  
KIRA, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.'"  
  
Ryuk  
"Ehh... Light, you're being weird."  
  
KIRA, THE GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"It's the First Commandment."  
  
Ryuk  
"Uuuuhhhmm... I don't really get it."  
  
Light Yagami  
"It's from the..."  
  
> You are about to explain the Bible to Ryuk.  
> You decide you have better things to do with your time.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Never mind. Just go back to Mikami. If there really is some kind of ancient goddess in Inaba, I can figure out what she's doing without your help."  
  
> Ryuk sighs for an entire minute, long enough to turn a complete circle in the air about a foot off the ground.  
  
Ryuk  
"Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine."  
  
Ryuk  
"Because of what she's doing, I might not be able to come back after, though."  
  
Light Yagami  
"I don't want you to."  
  
Ryuk  
"So mean!"  
  
**> Inaba Police Station...**  
  
> You got coffee on your way over. One for you, one for Dojima.  
> Dojima is outside. He looks surprised to see you, so you know he wasn't waiting.  
> He puts out his cigarette as you approach, even though he's not finished with it.  
  
Dojima  
"Yagami. I wasn't expecting you for a while."  
  
> He's surprised that you're on time. Are the police around here not usually punctual? Maybe you should have come later to fit in better...?  
> No. Your persona is fine for this situation. You're excited. You're dedicated to the job, no matter how small.  
> You give him a bright smile. You are a morning person.  
  
Light Yagami, Freshfaced Young Cop  
"Good morning, Dojima-san! I hope I'm not too early. Do you drink coffee?"  
  
> You hold out the coffee you got for him.  
  
Dojima  
"Coffee, huh...?"  
  
> He takes it.  
> Dojima is looking at you like he's trying to figure you out.  
> This seems like a strange reaction to coffee. This means he's not used to it. Doesn't he have a partner who gets him coffee?  
> All the better for you, then. It'll be easy to get in his good graces if there's no competition.  
  
Dojima  
"Thanks."  
  
> He doesn't smile.  
  
Dojima  
"Well, I guess we should head inside and I can introduce you to everyone."  
  
**> Inside...**  
  
> There's some dissatisfied murmuring when Dojima introduces you to the room at large.  
  
Disgruntled Cop  
"Another city kid, huh."  
  
Annoyed Cop  
"That makes three, now."  
  
> Three?  
> There's you and the "Detective Prince..."  
> And a third person.  
> No wonder they're annoyed.  
> Their patience will be worn very thin already, then. You must take care not to alienate them any further.  
> One person comes up to you afterwards.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I'm Naoto Shirogane. I'm looking forward to working with you."  
  
> The "Detective Prince" is a girl.  
> It's so obvious...  
> You can see an outline of a white binder under her shirt.  
> Small hands.  
> Long eyelashes.  
> Soft features.  
> No Adam's apple.  
> The proportions of her body... the length of her torso and legs, the distribution of weight on her thighs...  
> Her voice isn't very well-disguised, either.  
> You would think she wasn't even trying, but she has an awkward posture that shows she's used to hunching forward slightly to hide the way fabric clings to her binder, and she is deepening her voice a bit.  
> Surely Dojima isn't fooled by this charade.  
> You glance over at Dojima.  
  
Dojima  
"Shirogane is the 'Detective Prince' you probably heard about. He was here as a consultant with the murders, and now he's... helping us wrap everything up. He's one of those child genius types."  
  
> "He." "Prince."  
> It seems that somehow it is not common knowledge that Naoto Shirogane is a girl.  
> You decide not to say anything about it for now. You don't know how anyone here would react, and you don't know how you want them to react.  
> She would definitely be upset if you said something right off the bat.  
> These kinds of people...  
> They tend to get very sensitive about that kind of thing.  
  
Light Yagami, A Charming Young Man  
"It's nice to meet you. I hope I can be of some assistance with the case."  
  
> She looks at you warily, but thoughtfully.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"...I hope so too."  
  
> The desk next to yours is unoccupied. It clearly belongs to someone, but that person is not here at the moment. When Dojima takes you to your desk, he seems annoyed at the absence.  
  
Dojima  
"Dammit, Adachi."  
  
> It seems this desk belongs to someone named "Adachi."  
> You inspect it while you unpack your things.  
> There's a lot of trash on the desk... empty snack bags and crumpled-up receipts, mostly. There's some spare change scattered around. The piles of paperwork are a bit messy.  
> It makes sense that someone who is so late to work would have a messy desk.  
> There's no crumbs or condiments or any other food waste on the desk. It seems that Adachi isn't completely filthy, more like he just doesn't care enough to keep it clean.  
> You don't see any photos. No family... or at least, no family that he likes enough to keep photos of around. There's no plants or knickknacks, either. He doesn't consider the desk a personal space of his.  
> It seems that Adachi doesn't like his job very much.  
> A cop who doesn't like being a cop... curious.  
> He's not an old disillusioned man. An older man would have some kind of family, at least some cousins or nieces or something like that. You've never seen an old police officer who didn't have some kind of personal items on his desk. It has to be a relatively young man.  
> If he's a young police officer and he hates his job, it would make sense for him to be the third "out-of-towner." No young man would choose to come here before the murders. Nothing happened in Inaba. He would have been transferred here as a punishment or demotion of some kind.  
> It could also be that he's extremely lazy, and asked to be transferred here because he doesn't want to do work... but then, he would have started out here, and he wouldn't be considered an "out-of-towner." You rank this as distinctly less likely.  
> Either way... this "Adachi" seems like a distasteful individual.  
  
> You sit down at your desk and start reading through the case notes.  
> There's not much here...  
  
> Some time later, you hear the door open.  
> Dojima jumps up from his desk, scowling.  
  
Dojima  
"Adachi! You're late again!"  
  
> It seems that Adachi has finally arrived at work.  
> You look over your shoulder. There's a very disheveled detective walking towards you, smiling sheepishly. He looks like he just got out of bed, if he slept in his suit.  
  
Adachi  
"I'm so sorry, Dojima-san... my alarm didn't go off this morning."  
  
> He doesn't sound very sincere.  
  
Dojima  
"Tch... It's Yagami's first day on the job and he's already more reliable than you. Unlike you, he actually got here early. You need to get it together. You're gonna make the department look bad."  
  
Adachi  
"Oh, yeah, the new guy from the city..."  
  
Dojima  
"Don't you 'oh, yeah' me! How did you forget??"  
  
Adachi  
"Hey, come on, I didn't forget."  
  
Adachi  
"...I just... didn't know... that that was today."  
  
> This is the most feeble excuse you've ever heard.  
> Dojima looks exhausted.  
  
Dojima  
"Ugh... you..."  
  
Adachi  
"Anyway, I'm here now, Dojima-san."  
  
Dojima  
"Uh-huh. Yagami, this is my partner Adachi."  
  
> Adachi leans on the back of his chair and swings it around to look down at you.  
> He smiles with teeth at you. The smile doesn't reach his eyes. Not even close.  
> This guy oozes insincerity. You can practically taste it.  
  
Adachi  
"I'm Tohru Adachi... nice to meet you, new guy."  
  
> Your smile is much more convincing than his.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Light Yagami. Nice to meet you too."  
Tohru Adachi  
"You look pretty young... I guess that means you have to call me senpai, right? Ha ha ha."  
  
> Does he really think you're going to call him senpai?  
> Is he trying to haze you?  
> Dislike glitters in his eyes.  
> He's definitely trying to haze you. How unpleasant.  
> Most of the time, bullies are just trying to get a reaction. Not reacting is the best way to go. But surely Light Yagami would react?  
> You are annoyed.  
> In this situation, wouldn't it be most natural for you to get offended?  
> No... maybe you can be a little bit oblivious.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"I guess so, Adachi-senpai."  
  
> He looks put off.  
> It seems that you guessed right... he wanted you to be uncomfortable.  
> What an idiot.  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"I was joking..."  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Oh, of course. Sorry. People often tell me I don't have much of a sense of humor."  
  
> He looks skeptical.  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"Is that so..."  
  
Dojima  
"Adachi, be nice."  
  
> Dojima's not really close enough to hear your conversation. He's looking at Adachi with his hands on his hips, still standing up.  
> It seems that Dojima doesn't really trust Adachi.  
> However, you can't tell if it's because Adachi is obviously a liar, or if it's because he's unreliable.  
> Adachi's face twitches and for a second his mouth is twisted into a bitter grimace.  
> Only for a second, but that second is enough.  
> You know what kind of man he is. It's easy to extrapolate from lazy, insincere, and bitter: self-absorbed, entitled, resentful.  
> You've met this kind of man before. Everyone has.  
> You've killed so many men like him you've lost count.  
> You'll kill this one, too.  
> If he's a cop, he must not have any serious criminal record.  
> All that means is he's never been caught.  
> It's not difficult to imagine the kind of thing he must have done to get transferred out here. It was almost certainly sexual harrassment. You're 90% sure.  
> There's not many female police officers here... only one or two besides Shirogane.  
> Adachi gives Dojima an aw-geez kind of hand flap.  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"Come on, Dojima-san, I'm always nice!"  
  
Dojima  
"Ugh... get to work, Adachi."  
  
> Dojima doesn't sit down until Adachi does.  
> You go back to reading through the case notes.  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"You have a really nauseating smile."  
  
> Adachi is not smiling any more.  
> Instead, he looks bored and annoyed. He has his chin propped up on his hand and he's looking at you with his eyes narrowed.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"Your fake goody two-shoes smile looks like you modeled it on the guy from _Psycho_."  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"Just so you know, I don't buy that nice-guy bullshit for one second."  
  
> It seems that Adachi doesn't like you very much.  
> Your mind races.  
> What about you seems fake?  
> No one else seems concerned.  
> Your smile is perfect, you practiced it and everything. Everyone else you've met has found it charming.  
> Is he just more observant than the rest of them?  
> You glance at Shirogane. She doesn't seem tense. If he were observant at all, he would have noticed that she's a girl. If a guy like him knew about that, he wouldn't just do nothing. She would definitely be uncomfortable around him.  
> She seems fine, and he hasn't even glanced her way.  
> But he still thinks you're fake.  
> What did you do wrong? Why doesn't he like you?  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Bullshit...? I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"I'm seriously gonna barf if you keep smiling at me."  
  
> It seems that Adachi is not fooled.  
> What should you do?  
> He's not convinced by your smiling, so continuing to do so would be pointless, right? You're not sure what he'll do if you annoy him too much. There's not much he could do, though. He could tell someone he thinks you're fake, but what would that do?  
> You know that Dojima doesn't like him, and Dojima seems well-respected... It's reasonable to assume that Adachi is not popular. You have more social capital. They will believe you over him if it came to that. Even if they didn't, being sort of fake isn't a crime.  
> This guy isn't anything to worry about, not really. You could maintain the persona and, ultimately, no harm would come of it.  
> Just keep it up.  
> Let him tire himself out getting annoyed, and he'll move on eventually.  
> ...  
> You know that, but...  
> His existence bothers you.  
> You know he has hurt people. You can see these things. You know he has hurt people and suffered no consequences.  
> There are still people like him walking around in your world.  
> Even in your world...  
> Kira's world...  
> There are still those who have yet to be judged.  
> You know the details of the case... you could make it look like another one of the strange murders.  
> N wouldn't notice. It's a serial murder case, after all. There's no reason to suspect that Adachi isn't just another victim. It's obvious the case isn't really closed, and they haven't caught the real killer. Even N knows that much.  
> In fact, killing Adachi would be beneficial... it would force the local police to reopen the case.  
> The details of the case are a little too elaborate to write on the piece in your watch, but you have a few full pages with you.  
> If he's going to die anyway, it doesn't matter.  
> You reach into your desk drawer and take out a single sheet of notebook paper and start writing the cause of death first.  
> You'll have to write his name a few times, since you're not sure how he spells it.  
> If you're going to hide the death as though it's not a judgement from Kira... he, at least, should know.  
> You stop smiling.  
  
KIRA, PUNISHER OF EVIL  
"...You probably think you're very clever, don't you?"  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"Haha... I knew it. Look at that face! Oh, I'm sooo scared."  
  
> You write without looking at the page.  
> Tohru Adachi. Tohru Adachi. Tohru Adachi. Tohru Adachi.  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"You really think you're tough, huh, kid?"  
  
Tohru Adachi  
"You have no idea who you're dealing with."  
  
> For the first time, Adachi seems sincere.  
> He appears to be enjoying himself.  
> He thinks he's won because he made you lose your temper.  
  
KIRA, PUNISHER OF EVIL  
"I know exactly who I'm dealing with."  
  
> It's just a matter of time, now.  
> Seconds...  
  
KIRA, PUNISHER OF EVIL  
"Tohru Adachi... you're just a carrier of the disease that infects this world."  
  
KIRA, PUNISHER OF EVIL  
"This world must be cleansed of people like you."  
  
KIRA, PUNISHER OF EVIL  
"Selfish, lazy, resentful."  
  
KIRA, PUNISHER OF EVIL  
"No one will miss you."  
  
> You glance down at your watch and you allow yourself a small smile.  
> ...  
> ...  
> ...!?  
> A sharp pain shoots through your head.  
> At the same time, Adachi screws up his face as though he feels it, too.  


**THE AWAKENED ONE IS UNDER MY PROTECTION.**

  
> A strange voice... echoing in your head...  
> It hurts...  
> No one but Adachi seems to hear it, but he doesn't seem to understand what's happening any more than you do.  


**MY POWER IS GREATER THAN ANY COMMON SHINIGAMI.**

**HE WILL NOT DIE UNTIL I DECIDE IT IS TIME FOR HIM TO DIE.  
**

  
> The pain in your head fades.  
> For a moment, your vision is blurry, and you can't really see anything.  
> You feel... confused.  
> What was that voice?  
> You blink and rub your temples, refocusing and shaking off the pain.  
> You see that Adachi is still alive. He's still sitting in his desk chair, rubbing his temples and blinking, like you.  
> You look down at your watch.  
> He should be dead by now. If the cause of death didn't work, it should have defaulted to the generic "suicide" or, failing that, a heart attack. Those are the rules.  
> Any human whose name is written in the Death Note shall die.  
> Adachi is still alive.  
> This is impossible. There is no one who can't be killed by the Death Note.  
> A fake name is unlikely. He is a police officer.  
> You didn't miss any spelling variations. You were very thorough.  
> You are forced to conclude that the voice in your head was real. Given this, you assume it is Izanami. It has to be some kind of supernatural thing, it isn't a shinigami, and the only other supernatural thing that you have any reason to believe exists is Izanami, because Ryuk mentioned her.  
> You don't want to accept this as fact, but the circumstances have forced your hand.  
  
> It seems that Ryuk was telling the truth and the goddess Izanami is in Inaba...  
  
> He said she's up to something...  
> "The awakened one..."  
> You don't have time to worry about that right now, though. The more pressing issue at hand is that Adachi is still alive. He heard the voice, too. It seems that you two are the only ones who heard it.  
> Adachi knows that you tried to kill him...  
> He knows that you can kill people without weapons or poison. He knows that you can harness in some way the power of a shinigami.  
> This on its own would be disastrous, but in combination with the things you said...  
  
Adachi  
"Ha... hahaha..."  
  
> It seems you have made a grievous error.  
> You idiot.  
> Now he knows, and you can't kill him.  
> Panic floods your veins.  
> If a Death Note won't kill him, what good are guns and knives? Would this "Izanami" intervene in blood loss, strangulation, poison? Can he be hurt at all? If you could put him into a coma...  
> No, if he's hurt the police will investigate. Dojima will investigate. He might not like Adachi personally, but he's a father and a widower and he'll look after his own. If you hurt him using something other than the Death Note, it could be traced back to you.  
> You could kill someone else and have them put Adachi into a coma before they die...  
> No, that's too much. Near will be keeping an eye on things, he'll notice if a police officer gets beaten into a coma as soon as you show up in Inaba. You may as well put up a sign that says "hey, N, I'm Kira!"  
> Maybe if you made it look like an accident... have him get run over?  
> You don't even know if he can be hurt at all. You shouldn't test it. If you try to hurt him and fail, you'll put yourself into an even worse position. The more you do, the more evidence that can accumulate. You have to investigate before you act. You don't know anything about this "Izanami" or her powers. What are the rules? What does "awakened" even mean? There's too many unknown factors.  
> What else can you do? You can't hurt him, you can't kill him. It's too late to pretend you didn't hear the voice.  
> You're panicking. You can feel sweat trickling down the back of your neck. Your heart is pounding.  
> You try to calm down...  
> He definitely knows you tried to kill him, using the power of a shinigami. But that's all he knows. He can't necessarily connect it to Kira. There's nothing...  
  
Ryuzaki  
"It says 'L, do you know? Shinigami love apples.'"  
  
> ...  
> .......................  
> ........................................................................................  
  
Ryuzaki  
"Kira is childish and a sore loser. He loses his temper and makes mistakes."  
  
> Ryuzaki leans forward, chewing on his thumbnail, staring.  
> Staring at you.  
> Smiling.  
> You can feel the heavy weight of the chain pulling on your wrist...  
  
Ryuzaki  
"Gotcha."  
  
Adachi  
"Shinigami, huh?"  
  
> Adachi is grinning at you, eyes sharp.  
> No...  
> He would have to have read the Kira case files, and they're classified.  
> Not that that stopped you...  
> It's not impossible...  
> Adachi moves his chair closer to you, leaning forward until he's just slightly in your personal space.  
> You can't move...  
  
Adachi  
"Hey... how old were you five years ago, Light?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"..."  
  
Adachi  
"High school, right? A student in the Kanto region, driven by a childish sense of justice, someone with access to police files... that's what the first profile said, isn't it?"  
  
> He's read the Kira case files... the old ones.  
> The information that led L to you.  
> This is information that everybody had access to, pretty much. Adachi is old enough to have been a cop at the time... not that he would have needed to be.  
> The deaths are public record.  
> The Lind L Tailor broadcast was all over the news and the internet.  
> The identity of your father and your age are no secret.  
> And now...  
  
Adachi  
"The serial murderer who can kill without direct contact... the power of a shinigami..."  
  
> You grind your teeth.  
> Izanami...!!  
  
Adachi  
"Light, you're Kira, aren't you?"  
  
> Adachi is enjoying this...  
> How can you deny it, after what you said? You could pretend it was a joke...  
> No, that won't work.  
> You can't say anything. He knows.  
  
Ryuzaki  
"Ah. Yagami-kun, you've gotten yourself into a pinch."  
  
> Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.  
> Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up  
  
**BANG!!!**  
  
> You slammed your fist onto your desk, carefully manicured nails digging hard into your palm.  
> Several people look over at you. You have to remember you're in a room full of people.  
  
Adachi  
"Hahaha! So you _are_ Kira... for real..."  
  
> You force yourself to unclench your fist and arrange your face into something that's probably more normal.  
> You smile apologetically at the people staring at you.  
> You can't really see them clearly...  
> Your ears are ringing...  
> Adachi stares at you for a minute, mouth partly open.  
> Slowly, manic delight spreads over his face. He lowers his voice even more...  
  
Adachi  
"You're Kira... and you can't kill me..."  
  
Adachi  
"I can do whatever I want... and there's nothing you can do about it..."  
  
Adachi  
"You can't stop me... haha... that's so perfect."  
  
Light Yagami  
"...'Stop you?'"  
  
> What does he mean by that?  
> Adachi has admitted to doing something, but you don't know what.  
> The murders...?  
  
Adachi  
"It's perfect because you think this world can be 'cured'... 'if you kill all the criminals, you'll have a world with only good people... something like that, right? But you're wrong. There are no 'good people.' Everyone's the same, deep down."  
  
Adachi  
"What's the difference between you and all those criminals you kill? Are the people cheering for you when you kill someone on TV really so _pure?_ If you could see into people's hearts for real, you would know..."  
  
Adachi  
"...This world is rotten."  
  
Light Yagami  
"!?"  
  
> The idea that he could be so similar to you...  
> It's disgusting.  
  
Dojima  
"Adachi."  
  
> You jump, startled.  
> Adachi straightens up and the ominous look on his face disappears. He slides easily back into his persona...  
> You, not so much.  
> The room is spinning.  
> You can't think...  
  
Dojima  
"We're heading out. Got a report of a suspicious vehicle."  
  
Adachi  
"Seriously, another suspicious vehicle? It's probably nothing... just have one of the uniforms check it out."  
  
> Dojima gives him an icy look.  
  
Dojima  
"We're going."  
  
Adachi  
"Man... alright, alright, I'm coming..."  
  
> Adachi stands up.  
  
Dojima  
"Yagami, we'll see you later. Once you've finished looking through those notes, you should talk to Shirogane. I know he's got his own notes that aren't in the police files."  
  
Light Yagami  
"...Yeah..."  
  
> Dojima looks at you, brow furrowed.  
> You don't look normal... you're not smiling...  
> You attempt a smile.  
> He doesn't look 100% convinced, but he leaves without asking you anything.  
> Before he follows, Adachi winks at you and gives you a thumbs-up.  
  
> As soon as they're both gone, you shove the piece of notebook paper back into the drawer and lock it, then you get up and go find a back exit.  
> You move mechanically... you're sure you must look strange. You try not to stomp or scowl, but you're not sure you succeed.  
> You have to get yourself back under control.  
> You have to calm down.  
  
**> Outside...**  
  
> You pace and furiously comb your hands through your hair. You need to do something with your hands, but you can't punch the wall or your hands will get hurt and then you'll have to explain that away.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Dammit."  
  
> Your hands are shaking.  
> The hatred burning in your chest is too much.  
> If you don't calm down, you'll make another mistake.  
> You can't let that happen.  
> You have to think about this sensibly.  
> So he knows. So what?  
> He has no proof. The only proof he has has something to do with this goddess Izanami business... and he can hardly take that to the police.  
> On top of that, he seems to have no desire whatsoever to turn you in. He doesn't believe in your vision for the world, but he also doesn't particularly oppose it.  
> You didn't think it was possible to not particularly care about Kira, but there you go.  
> In any case, it seems that you are not in danger of being arrested.  
> The things you said were incriminating, but not quite a confession. Even if he recorded that conversation, it wouldn't be useful for convicting you of anything.  
> You feel slightly more calm.  
> You begin to sort through the information you got from that whole conversation...  
> You decide that it is safe to assume the voice you heard was Izanami until you receive proof to the contrary.  
> What is Izanami? If she has the power to interfere with the powers of the Death Note, why hasn't she done so sooner? What does she want?  
> You have absolutely no idea. You can't begin to guess at her motivations until you've investigated more. You should focus on things you can reason out.  
> Why would a goddess protect a man like Adachi? What purpose could that possibly serve?  
> She referred to him as "the awakened one." What about him is "awakened?"  
> He said "you can't stop me." The only serious crimes that have occurred in Inaba recently have been the serial murders.  
> Adachi must be the murderer.  
> The murders with no evidence and no apparent cause of death.  
> Not the power of a shinigami, but perhaps something like it.  
> It is likely that in Adachi has been "awakened" the power to commit these murders.  
> Presumably, if she is protecting him, it was Izanami who awakened this power in him.  
> It seems unlikely that her protection and his powers are unrelated.  
> You can't think of what this power might be.  
> The Death Note needs a cause of death. It can't do the impossible. Adachi, however, seems able to do the impossible to some extent. No cause of death, the bodies hanging with no evidence as to how they got up there.  
> He has killed only three people. So the power is limited in some way...  
> The murders have been spread out in time quite a bit. Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi were not that far apart in time, but then there was nothing until Morooka.  
> Serial killers don't take breaks. They have a compulsion. Perhaps the power has some sort of time constraint?  
> No, if it had some kind of time constraint, how could he have killed Yamano and Konishi within a month of each other?  
> Why didn't he kill anyone in between Konishi and Morooka?  
> It's not like he was in any kind of danger. There were no suspects.  
> Feeling a sudden rush of guilt after two victims instead of after the first is a little strange, but concievable.  
> You think about the wolfish smile on Adachi's face. There was no remorse there.  
> This is not someone who felt guilty and stopped. This is a man with a compulsion.  
> He said "you can't stop me," not "you can't prove I did it." Present tense.  
> There must have been attempts made in between Konishi and Morooka.  
> These attempts weren't reported, and the police don't seem to have any information on them.  
> There will be evidence. This is not a careful man.  
> If he attempted to kill other people, why didn't they come forward?  
> Perhaps they thought no one would believe them, because of the nature of his power, whatever it is.  
> You will have to find them.  
> All you need to do is figure out who he targets.  
> Mayumi Yamano.  
> Saki Konishi.  
> Kinshiro Morooka.  
> ...  
> What is the connection between all three of them?  
> Yamano and Konishi are women. It makes sense that he would target vulnerable people, who would be more trusting of a strange police officer... Morooka seems like an outlier. So long after the first two, and so different.  
> Morooka was killed by blunt force trauma to the head, but the other two had no discernible cause of death.  
> Morooka's death seems strange...  
> Maybe you'll know more after you talk to Shirogane. You still haven't completely familiarized yourself with the details of the case.  
> Saki Konishi was so young...  
> She was just a kid.  
> You can't stand it. This world is supposed to be safe for people like her.  
> You created this world so that she could be safe...  
> But she was still kidnapped.  
> You couldn't save her.  
  
Sayu's Big Brother  
"..."  
  
> It is your responsibility to make this right.  
> He was able to do this, even though Kira is supposed to be the god of this world.  
> If no one stops him, he will continue to kill people.  
> You cannot kill him, and it is possible that you cannot physically harm him in any way.  
> You have to arrest him.  
> You have to bring him to justice as a police officer, and not as Kira.  
> You will have to do something about Izanami, too. You can't arrest her, obviously, and the Death Note won't work on her.  
> But everything has rules. Everything has a weakness. If even a shinigami can be killed, then something can be done about Izanami.  
> Why is she doing this...?  
> What was it that she said in the story?  
> "I will kill 1000 of your subjects every day." Something like that.  
> To her husband, Izanagi.  
> If Izanami is real, surely this means that Izanagi is, as well. Ryuk didn't mention him, but Ryuk has been getting less and less forthcoming over the years.  
> It was Izanagi who sealed away Izanami in the story, prompting her wrath.  
> He has the power to get rid of her, presumably.  
> You have trouble believing that you are even entertaining the notion, but...  
> If Izanagi is real, too, then-  
  
Quiet Voice  
"Ah. Yagami-san!"  
  
> Yu Narukami is here.  
> He holds up one hand and waves. On his other hand, he is balancing two wrapped bento boxes. Lunch for Dojima and one other person. You don't think it's for himself-- he would have put it in his school bag, if that were the case.  
> You don't know who the second lunch is for, and you don't really care that much. Probably some boy at school or something.  
> Your train of thought is totally derailed... you feel unfocused and disoriented...  
> There's still so much to think about. Izanami. Adachi. Morooka.  
> It takes you a moment to remember to make a facial expression at all, and another moment to remember what would be appropriate for this particular situation.  
> Not annoyance... that would be too unfriendly. A polite impatience. Friendly but distant. He's a nice kid, but he's a kid and you're a busy adult. You're not going to be his friend, but you're not going to refuse to talk to him, either.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Heterosexual Colleague  
"Narukami. Good morning."  
  
Yu Narukami  
"You can call me Yu."  
  
> You're not going to do that.  
> He looks at you like he expects an answer. He has a very peculiar stare. It unnerves you a little bit, which in turn annoys you. You don't like feeling unnerved.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Heterosexual Colleague  
"I don't think that would be appropriate. Shouldn't you be at school?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"I'm just stopping by on my way there."  
  
> You nod and hope he'll go away. He doesn't.  
> Narukami looks like he's trying to decide what to say next.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Very Busy  
"..."  
  
> He's taking a long time...  
> What exactly is he thinking about?  
  
Yu Narukami  
"What are you doing out here?"  
  
> Is it strange for you to be out here?  
> You should be inside, but it's not so odd for you to be out here for just a moment, right?  
> It's your first day at work, and you've been looking through the case notes, and you're overwhelmed. It's your first real case, and a young girl was tragically murdered. In this situation, it's natural that you might want to step out for a moment.  
> On the other hand, you absolutely should not tell Narukami that you feel overwhelmed. That's too personal. You can't give him any amount of intimacy, or an opportunity to bond over the loss of his classmate, or anything like that. He'll get too excited.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Very Busy  
"I just stepped out for some air. How about you? Delivering lunch to your uncle?"  
  
> You change the subject quickly so he can't ask you any more questions.  
> He nods.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"...And Adachi."  
  
> The second lunch... is for Adachi.  
> There is only one Adachi working at the police station. Tohru Adachi.  
> The murderer.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Adachi."  
  
Yu Narukami  
"That's my uncle's partner. Have you met him already?"  
  
> Narukami's eyes are bright and overeager.  
> He really brightened up at the mention of Adachi...  
> What has this kid gotten himself into?  
  
Light Yagami  
"Yes. You know him?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"We're friends."  
  
> Narukami doesn't seem to be lying... he looks very sincere.  
> Adachi isn't the sort of person who has friends. He doesn't seem like the sort of person that would even bother to pretend to be friends with someone.  
> Could Yu Narukami be an accomplice in the murders?  
> You look carefully at Narukami's face. He seems like a normal teenage boy.  
> Well, not normal.  
> He seems like a harmless teenage boy.  
> It's highly unlikely that he's a murderer. Possible, but unlikely.  
> You think Narukami is just sort of stupid, and that he probably approaches Adachi with the same hardheaded optimism that he approaches you with.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Friends, huh...?"  
  
> It seems that Yu Narukami would be an easy target for Adachi.  
> Either Adachi has made an attempt on his life already, or he will soon.  
> Surely Narukami's not such an idiot that he would stay friends with someone who had tried to kill him.  
> Surely no one would be that much of an idiot.  
> ...  
  
Ryuzaki  
"You're the first friend I've ever had."  
  
> Narukami has the same eyes as L did, when he called you his friend...  
> The eyes of someone foolishly blinded by their pathetic desire for "connection." "Frienship."  
> L wanted to believe you were his friend, so he convinced himself that it was true.  
> You should keep in mind that it is definitely possible for someone to be that kind of idiot. Trusting someone you know tried to kill you. Calling them a friend.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"!?"  
  
> Narukami suddenly jumps, like he's startled by something.  
> Then he smiles at you...  
> It's weird...  
> Why is he smiling at you?  
> You wish he wouldn't do that.  
> It seems that despite your best efforts, you have once again accidentally encouraged Narukami...  
> ...Somehow.  
> You hope he doesn't start bringing you food.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Heterosexual Colleague  
"I have to get back to work. Dojima-san and Adachi-san are out right now, but I could drop those off on their desks for you."  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Sure. Thank you."  
  
> He keeps smiling at you.  
> Narukami tries to touch your fingers when he hands you the bento boxes.  
> You narrowly avoid it and pretend you didn't notice anything.  
> What a harrowing encounter... he's not subtle at all.  
  
**> Later...**  
  
Adachi  
"Lunch again? Ugh..."  
  
Adachi  
"Why won't he leave me alone? It's seriously getting on my nerves."  
  
> It seems you were right, and Adachi doesn't think of Narukami as a friend at all.  
> When Dojima isn't looking, he dumps the bento on your desk.  
  
Adachi  
"Here you go, new guy. You can have this. Welcome to the team."  
  
Light Yagami  
"What makes you think I want it?"  
  
Adachi  
"If you don't want it, throw it out. I don't care."  
  
> What are you doing to do with this food?  
> You really don't want it, but you also don't want to look as rude as Adachi.  
> You decide to kill two birds with one stone and bring it to Naoto Shirogane. You can get rid of the lunch and talk to her about the case.  
> Since Narukami is gay, and she's... whatever she is... and they both go to Yasogami High, you figure they probably know each other.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I see Adachi is once again pawning off the food Narukami-kun made for him. What a waste. Most people would be grateful for a home-cooked meal."  
  
> It seems that she knows a little bit about Narukami's "friendship" with Adachi. You might be able to get more information out of her on that subject.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Haha, yeah... you know Narukami?"  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I know of him."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"We've spoken a few times."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I don't know if I would go so far as to say that I know him."  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Since you're the same age, I thought you two might be friends."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Friends? Oh. No. I don't really..."  
  
> She tries to look stony-faced and straightforward, but can't quite manage to hide that she's actually sad and embarrassed.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I don't have any friends."  
  
> She's honest, awkward, and obviously lonely. The easily-manipulated type.  
> You feel concerned. Here's another vulnerable teenager immediately available to Adachi...  
> Don't these people have any self-preservation instincts?  
> People shouldn't feel so safe that they can't defend themselves... this is a problem in your world that you didn't anticipate. People trust you so much that they feel like nothing bad could happen to them, and they don't know how to spot predators like Adachi.  
> Well, at least it will be extremely easy to get the information you want.  
  
Light Yagami, Most Popular Boy In School  
"I could be your friend."  
  
> She seems surprised and flustered.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Wh-what?"  
  
Light Yagami, Most Popular Boy In School  
"Sorry, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"No, that's not it. I just..."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Heh... I'm not used to police officers treating me as a peer."  
  
> There it is.  
> She doesn't fit in with people her age, because she's so strange and awkward and focused, but she doesn't fit in with the adults she works with either. There's nowhere she belongs.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"However, I'm a bit too busy for friends at the moment."  
  
> She clears her throat.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Was there something you needed from me, Yagami-san?"  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Dojima-san said I should talk to you, because you have notes on the murders that aren't in the case materials yet... so I thought I could do that, and maybe give you this lunch while I'm at it."  
  
> She seems hesitant to take the food, but relieved to be talking about work. She looks at her notebook and not at you while she talks, and seems a lot more comfortable that way.  
> You talk to Shirogane about the case for a while.  
> To your surprise, she is actually intelligent. She has a lot of insights on the case that match up with your own deductions.  
> It seems that she actually earned her reputation.  
> Going over the case, you learn that both Saki Konishi and Mayumi Yamano appeared on TV before they were kidnapped and murdered. Morooka did not.  
> Shirogane also fills you in on some details which you suspected...  
> Adachi had access to both Konishi and Yamano before they died.  
> The police have no evidence linking Mitsuo Kubo to Konishi or Yamano's deaths, but they're eager to close the case. They're insisting that his confession is enough.  
> Shirogane is bothered by the differences between the first two deaths and Morooka's. She mentions the cause of death, and the TV issue, and the lack of evidence connecting Kubo to the first two murders.  
> When you mention the long time gap between Konishi's death and Morooka's, she pauses.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Yes, I thought that was strange, too. But if you look at... hmm."  
  
> She stops herself.  
> She gazes at her notes for a moment. It looks like she is deciding whether or not to tell you something. She must suspect that there are other victims, like you do.  
> "If you look at" what? She knows something else... something she didn't say already.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Yes, it's strange. Mitsuo Kubo has not been able to provide an adequate explanation for the long pause, which is curious."  
  
> She decided not to tell you.  
> You know that she knows something... why is she keeping it to herself?  
> Perhaps she knows something about Izanami, or the murder method, and doesn't think you would believe her if she brought it up.  
> She closes her notebook and looks at you again.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Now that you know the facts of the case, Yagami-san... surely you agree that the case is far from closed."  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Of course. Even if Kubo is the killer, there's not enough evidence to convict him. To declare the case closed now..."  
  
Light Yagami  
"It would be an unforgivable injustice."  
  
> Shirogane seems pleased.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I'm glad you think so."  
  
> It seems that Shirogane thinks of you as a potential ally on the police force.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"By the way, have you heard of the Midnight Channel, Yagami-san?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"No...?"  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"It's just a rumor that's been going around lately... ever since the first murder. They say if you look into a TV at midnight when it's raining, you see your soulmate."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"It seems unrelated, but the timing of the rumor is strange, don't you think?"  
  
> You don't see how it could be related at all...  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"When I was in high school, we had a couple of those types of myths, too."  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Have you tried it, Shirogane-san?"  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Only once."  
  
> You weren't expecting that.  
> Is she superstitious?  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Did you see anyone?"  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I saw something, but it was blurry and difficult to make out. I believe it may have just been a dream."  
  
> ...  
> Adachi doesn't talk to you for the rest of the day.  
> He does keep looking over at you and smirking, though, which is extremely annoying.  
> It seems he didn't tell Dojima anything, so you were right about not needing to worry about being turned in.  
> You still feel uneasy, though.  
  
> On your way back to the Amagi Inn, you pick up dinner at the Shiroku Store, a cramped convenience store in the Central Shopping District.  
> You notice Yu Narukami at the counter when you walk in. He's purchasing a large quantity of store-brand medicine, energy drinks, and beads.  
> Beads?  
> "Revival Beads." Is he superstitious or something...? He's only buying five. That's not even enough to make a bracelet. What's he going to do with five beads?  
> ...You don't really care.  
> Since you're inspecting their refrigerated meals, he doesn't notice you on his way out.  
> He doesn't get a bag... he just puts the beads and medicine in his pockets and then carries the rest in his arms.  
> Just looking at him is annoying...  
  
**> The Amagi Inn...**  
  
> A lot happened today... your mind is still spinning...  
> It seems that there's more going on in Inaba than you suspected...  
> You lie down on the floor and think about what you have to do.  
> You have to collect evidence linking Adachi to the murders so that you can send him to prison, because you can't kill him.  
> To do that, you have to figure out how he's killing his victims...  
> ...and to do _that,_ you have to figure out who he has tried and failed to murder in the last few months, and why they haven't come forward.  
> You have to investigate Adachi's connection to the goddess Izanami, who she is, and what it is she's trying to do, and then you have to figure out how to stop her.  
> ...  
> You sigh and press your arm over your eyes.  
> It has been a long day.  
> You should start looking through the police records to try and find if there have been any reports at all of attempted kidnappings or suspicious persons or anything like that. The Inaba police don't consistently digitize their files, so you weren't able to do much research before you got here.  
> Maybe you should teach them how to use computers while you're here...  
> You watch the news and eat your cold convenience store dinner.  
> It's gross. Next time, you're going to go to Junes, even though it's more out of your way.  
> If you get a burner phone there, maybe you could contact Takada...  
> You should see if they have surveillance cameras in Junes first. You don't know yet how closely Near is able to watch you while you're out here.  
> You think there's a decent chance that you'll be safe. This town is so small, their security isn't going to be particularly high-tech. If they have surveillance cameras at Junes, it's probably just soundless CCTV, the kind that gets wiped on a regular basis because nothing ever happens.  
> If you can figure out how often they wipe their footage, you can get a clean phone and use that to contact Takada.  
> ...  
> You take out the Death Note paper from your briefcase and look at Adachi's name again.  
> You wonder if the fate you wrote for him would suddenly come to pass if Izanami were to lift her protection...  
> There's so much you still don't know.  
> It's actually...  
> ...  
> ...it's sort of exciting...


	3. forgive us our trespasses

  
> **Inaba Police station...**

> It is your second day of work in Inaba.  
> There was no sign of Yukiko Amagi this morning, which was a bit of a relief.  
> You hoped you'd be able to avoid teenagers for the most part, but...  
> Shirogane was waiting for you.  
> She steps out in front of you and you almost bump into her, but manage to stop just short of colliding with her.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"Ah, Shirogane-san, you startled me. Were you... waiting for me?"  
  
> She stares determinedly up at you, hands clenched at her sides.  
> She's so small... you'd put her at approximately five feet tall. She should really look into building up some muscle mass. If she wasn't so skinny, she would look less like she's heading to a boyband audition and more like a man.  
> You still don't understand how she fools anyone.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Yes."  
  
> You look at her expectantly, and she takes a long inhale before she speaks, like she's bracing herself.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"The prefectural police want to fast-track Mitsuo Kubo to conviction. They say they want to 'put this case behind us.' The police are issuing a statement today stating that we are confident that the killer is caught. They intend to state that there is no need to worry, and that we can all sleep safely."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"We have to do something. We have to convince them that this isn't over. If they leave it like this, there _will_ be another murder!"  
  
> She seems worked up.  
> You sip your coffee and try to look interested.  
> This kind of thing is hardly a surprise. It's disappointing, but not surprising.  
> You thought you were done tidying up the Japanese police... a few years ago you combed through and eliminated all the corrupt, negligent, and lazy police officers you could find. Apparently you missed some.  
> Can you get Shirogane to name names? It might be suspicious to seem too interested in the specific details.  
> As a prosecutor, Mikami might be able to get the names and take care of it.  
> It occurs to you that it might not be the best time to start a large-scale purge of the police force with Near breathing down the back of your neck...  
> Perhaps you could frame the mafia. If any of Mello's gang survived, you could kill two birds with one stone and have them assassinate the officers you want out of the way.  
> There's a lot of "if"s there... you would definitely need to communicate directly with Mikami in order to arrange something like that. You should look into that burner phone as soon as possible.  
> You suppose it might be less suspicious to wait either way, but you don't want interference from on high to stop you from bringing Adachi to justice...  
> Perhaps Shirogane has a solution that wouldn't arouse Near's suspicion.  
  
Light Yagami  
"What do you suggest we do?"  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"No suggestions. I have a plan already, and I am fully prepared to carry it out in the next few days. However, I need a favor."  
  
> She looks uncertain for a moment.  
> It's like she's trying to figure out whether or not to trust you with whatever she's about to say.  
> You smile, encouraging and interested and determined. A face you can trust. The face you gave Naomi Misora.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"If my dead body is the next one to be found, I want you to have all of my notes on the case so far. I will leave you my notebooks, briefcase, and laptop."  
  
> You pause for a moment, actually slightly surprised.  
> She is trying to get herself killed...  
> Shirogane is going to try to uncover the killer's methods and identity by provoking him into trying to kill her.  
> If she survives, she will be able to identify and arrest the killer herself. If she dies, it will still prove that Mitsuo Kubo isn't the killer, and the police will be forced to keep investigating until they find the real killer.  
> You didn't think she would be willing to go that far.  
> It's a nice thought, but it's not very practical. There's no guarantees.  
> For one thing, she can't be absolutely sure that the killer will make an attempt on her life.  
> If he does make an attempt on her life, she can't be sure that he will use the same methods on her as he did on the other victims. If her death doesn't match the serial murders, the force will feel perfectly justified in continuing to prosecute Mitsuo Kubo.  
> If she gets murdered, she also can't be sure that he'll let her body be discovered. She could just disappear and never be heard from again.  
> If your theory is correct and Adachi has made failed murder attempts, it's possible she could survive.  
> However, you must consider why the failed victims haven't come forward.  
> It could be that Adachi doesn't identify himself to his victims. This seems likely.  
> He could wear a mask or some other disguise. He could kill them without ever seeing them in person, if his power is something like the Death Note. He could have some other ability that prevents his victims from remembering the attack.  
> It seems that Shirogane has not thought this idea through very carefully. You expected better.  
> ...  
> You almost forgot, you need to react to what she said. You should quickly discourage her. That's what a concerned coworker would do.  
> You muster up an expression of shock and worry.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Here To Help  
"Your dead body?? Shirogane-san, what are you saying? You shouldn't do anything to put yourself in danger!"  
  
> Perhaps it could be useful.  
> If it doesn't work and Adachi doesn't rise to the bait, that's fine with you. Shirogane can be of use to you, alive.  
> If it works and Adachi attacks her, you can gather evidence against him. If you can carefully monitor the whole thing, and he kills her, you can at least put him away for one murder.  
> It's a bad plan for her, but not for you.  
> The main problem you can see is that you're not sure you'd be able to arrange for the surveillance you would need on such short notice. You would want to be tracking both her movements and Adachi's. You need time to plant bugs and cameras.  
> Perhaps you can convince her to delay whatever she's planning to do...?  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"I don't believe I will die. I just want to be sure that if I do, my notes will be put in the right hands. Due to the killer's meticulous lack of evidence, it's possible he is or was affiliated with law enforcement."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"It's true that we have just met. However... you're a model student and an upright citizen, and nothing in your record suggests you're anything but the ideal citizen. My instinct tells me that you are a trustworthy man."  
  
> She's trying to sound confident, but her voice is shaking with fear.  
> If you push that fear, you might be able to dissuade her for now.  
> However... if you dissuade she delays too long, Adachi might attack someone else, and you don't yet know how to predict who it might be. Shirogane knows, but she won't tell you.  
> This is a tricky situation...  
> You need whatever information she's keeping from you...  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Here To Help  
"What are you planning to do, exactly? Let me help you, Shirogane-san. You don't have to do it on your own. You shouldn't throw your life away so easily."  
  
> You reach out your hand.  
> She doesn't take it.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"If my theory is correct, my life won't be thrown away at all."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"My theories are almost always correct."  
  
> Shirogane won't accept your help, even though she's not smart enough to do this right on her own.  
> How frustrating.  
> If she's going to die, she shouldn't die pointlessly on purpose.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Here To Help  
"Even if it's to catch a killer... you shouldn't take unnecessary risks."  
  
> She gives you a sharp look.  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"There's no such thing as an unnecessary risk when it comes to catching a killer."  
  
> She really doesn't see the obvious flaws in her plan...?  
> If she's going to die, which she seems determined to do, she should be happy to make it as useful a death as possible. Instead, she's stubbornly refusing to let you help.  
> What can you say to get her to listen to you?  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"That's all I wanted to say. If I die, my notes are yours. I have confidence in your abilities as a detective."  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Here To Help  
"I know you're trying to provoke the killer into making an attempt on your life, so that you can figure out both his identity and his methods."  
  
Light Yagami, Who Is Here To Help  
"Shirogane, you should approach this very carefully."  
  
Naoto Shirogane  
"Time is of the essence, Yagami-san. There's no time to be careful."  
  
> Shirogane seems annoyed by your concern for her.  
> Stupid girl... why are teenagers so stubborn?  
> You promise to take her things if she dies. There had better be something good in there.  
  
> When you get to your desk, Dojima has an assignment for you.  
> You have to investigate a call about a "suspicious person" in Junes.  
  
**> Assignment 01: Suspicious Person in Junes**  
  
> The suspicious person is "possibly a shoplifter," apparently.  
> The only description provided is that they're "suspicious." That could mean a lot of things, especially in a backwater traditional town like this.  
> You smile at Dojima, even though the task is so far beneath you that giving it to you is a slap in the face.  
> You're enthusiastic. You love your job. You're so happy to be here.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Co-Worker  
"I'll head over there now, sir!"  
  
Dojima  
"Good. Oh, and, if you see Yu, tell him I'm going to be home to help with dinner today."  
  
Dojima  
"My nephew and his friends hang out at Junes a lot. The food court is sort of the hot spot for teens in town."  
  
> How strange... the food court at a Junes hardly seems like a hip hangout zone for teenagers.  
> The teenagers at your high school who liked to "hang out" at the mall were mostly shoplifters.  
> Maybe one of Narukami's friends is the "suspicious person."  
  
Light Yagami  
"Hanging out at a department store is a little strange, isn't it?"  
  
Dojima  
"Yu and the manager's kid are close."  
  
Adachi  
"Plus the mascot part-timer. They're friends with him, too."  
  
Dojima  
"Oh, yeah... Mr. Bear? Eddie?"  
  
Adachi  
"Something like that. Anyway, the kids hang out there since there really isn't anything to do out here in the sticks... they should build a bowling alley or something at least."  
  
Dojima  
"I think it's good for them. They have to use their imaginations. Kids out here play outside, in the fresh air. Yu and his friends are really into... what was it called, Adachi?"  
  
> Adachi sighs and rolls his eyes.  
  
Adachi  
" _LARPing._ "  
  
> He said it with airquotes and a facial expression that suggests just saying the word pisses him off.  
> LARP stands for "live action role play." It's basically just dressing up and playing around outside. Playing pretend. Making up stories. Fighting bad guys. Sometimes people have very complex rules systems for it, but it's still a kids' dress up game.  
> You knew some guys in college who were very into it and they were all absolutely unbearable.  
> Everything you learn about Narukami makes him seem more aggravating.  
  
Light Yagami  
"He's a little old for that kind of thing, isn't he?"  
  
Dojima  
"Oh, for sure. I think he's embarrassed about it... he tries to hide his costumes and swords, but he's very good at keeping secrets."  
  
> He laughs, gazing fondly down at a picture on his desk.  
  
Dojima  
"He's really a good kid. Just kind of an oddball, you know?"  
  
> It seems Dojima thinks of Narukami as a son.  
> Adachi looks like he's going to barf.  
> After listening to Dojima ramble about Yu Narukami's strange LARPing habit for a while, you finally manage to leave and head towards Junes to investigate the "suspicious person."  
  
> You're glad you have an official reason to go to Junes and inspect their CCTV system. While you're there, you'll be able to charm them into giving you more information than you need for this case.  
> It seems that you will be able to get that burner phone you wanted.  
> Because it's so small, it's not difficult to find your way around Inaba. You have a map, and your smartphone, and on top of that there's just not that many places to go.  
> You check the directions on your phone and walk towards the Junes. You could take a bike or a car, but a police vehicle seems like a bit much for something so minor, and you don't mind walking. It's good for getting your bearings, and the air out here really does feel fresher than the city air.  
> Since most people get around on foot or by bus, so there's not a lot of cars or noise on the roads. Everyone walks in the street.  
> It's so peaceful here, you feel yourself relaxing a little bit.  
> This might be a good place for Sayu, once you've gotten rid of Adachi.  
> You know your mother doesn't want to completely move out of the family house, but no one lives there any more...  
> You think she would fit right in here.  
> You take some pictures of the countryside with your phone to email to your mother later.  
  
**> Junes Department Store, Grocery Section**  
  
> After taking a detour through the electronics store to see if Junes has the things you need-- they do-- you're directed to the grocery section by a concerned old lady who says she saw the "suspicious person."  
> You look around...  
> The grocery section here is actually pretty good, considering it's a department store.  
> There's blackberries on sale.  
> There's someone stocking shelves.  
> Nothing out of the ordinary...  
> You duck into one of the aisles.  
> There's a girl wearing a hoodie and large sunglasses, muttering to herself.  
> She's pretty small, but she does look a little bit suspicious.  
> You pull out your badge and tap her on the shoulder.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Um, excuse me, ma'am?"  
  
> The girl jumps and the hood falls off her head as she turns to you.  
> She has long hair, pulled back into two ponytails. It's sort of familiar... like you've seen her before.  
  
Suspicious Girl  
"Ah! Sorry! I-- Light-kun?"  
  
> She recognizes you.  
> It takes you a second, but you recognize her when she whips off her sunglasses and claps her hands together, smiling.  
  
Risette  
"Oh my gosh, this is _such_ a funny coincidence! What're you doing here?"  
  
> You've met Risette a few times before. Misa's done a couple of photoshoots and ads with her.  
> She's just as bubbly and high-pitched as ever. Misa doesn't like her much.  
> You seem to recall Misa mentioning that Risette was taking some time off from showbiz. You'd forgotten all about that.  
> You put away your badge. Risette isn't the shoplifting type. She's weird, but she's not a criminal.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Someone called the police because you looked suspicious. What are you doing here?"  
  
Risette  
"Here in Junes or here in Inaba?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"Junes."  
  
Risette  
"I'm grocery shopping, obviously, silly."  
  
> She is holding a grocery basket with a strange assortment of groceries.  
> What's she going to make with canned baked beans, eggs, baking chocolate, and Jello mix?  
> She doesn't appear to have a grocery list.  
  
Light Yagami  
"... Sure. Well, I'd better get going."  
  
> You try to leave, but... Risette grabs your arm.  
  
Risette  
"Hey, no way, you can't leave yet! Gimme the dish, how come you're in Inaba? Did you follow me, you rascal?"  
  
> She winks at you.  
> She does this sometimes... you're pretty sure she's not actually interested in you, though. She mostly just likes to annoy Misa.  
> You think she thinks it's funny.  
> As long as she's not serious, you don't really mind that much... you think Risette is smarter than she lets on, and she reminds you a little bit of when Sayu was younger.  
> You extract your arm from her grip.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Definitely not. I'm here to help with the investigation into the recent murders."  
  
> She looks surprised.  
> Her smile fades and her brow creases a little bit.  
  
Risette  
"You are?"  
  
> She lowers her voice to a dramatic stage whisper.  
  
Risette  
"Aren't you kind of busy with... you know... _a certain case...?_ "  
  
> She raises her eyebrows meaningfully at you.  
> Misa told her that you were working on the Kira case a while ago... to brag, you think.  
> At least Risette has the good sense not to spread it around.  
> You put your hands in your pockets and look away.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I needed a break. My father died."  
  
> She goes very quiet.  
> The "idol Risette" persona fades completely...  
  
Rise  
"I hadn't heard... I'm so sorry, Light. That's so awful."  
  
> You...  
> You actually can't remember what you're supposed to do next. You don't want to seem too emotional, but you should be a little bit emotional, right...? Your father is dead. You're sad about it.  
> You haven't actually had this conversation with anyone yet... You know how to have this conversation with colleagues, but not with a teenage girl.  
> Should you change the subject? Is that too abrupt? Are you expected to chat about how he died?  
> Rise, unhelpfully, stays quiet, staring at you with her large mournful eyes.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Yeah."  
  
Rise  
"Geez... that's a lot heavier than I expected."  
  
> She laughs nervously and rubs her neck.  
  
Rise  
"We can talk about something else. Um, how long have you been in town? I haven't seen you around..."  
  
> Rise decided on her own to change the subject.  
> She doesn't go back to the bubbly idol persona, though.  
> It seems that despite the awkwardness, Rise is somewhat comfortable around you.  
> More comfortable than she is around Misa, anyway.  
  
Light Yagami  
"This is my third day."  
  
Rise  
"Oh! Then..."  
  
Rise  
"Can I ask why you're helping with the murders here? Isn't the case closed?"  
  
> She's feigning innocence, trying to cover up how curious she is.  
> She's not just making conversation... it seems that Rise has a particular interest in Adachi's murders.  
> You don't think it would be wise to tell her anything about your involvement in the investigation until you know why she's asking.  
> You don't want to encourage her to get involved in something this dangerous.  
> You remember that Shirogane said that both of the young women who were murdered were shown on TV before they were kidnapped. She seemed to think this was significant... if it is, then surely Risette is in some danger.  
> You raise your eyebrows at her and smile.  
  
Light Yagami  
"An idol interested in murder, huh? You sound like Misa."  
  
> Rise gives you an exaggerated offended scoff and smacks you on the arm.  
  
Rise  
"Light! How dare you! She's a total weirdo!"  
  
> She pauses and glances around.  
  
Rise  
"... she's not here, is she?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"No, I didn't bring her with me."  
  
Risette  
"Oo-oo, how _scandalous_ ~"  
  
> You have successfully steered the conversation away from the murder case.  
> You end up chatting with Rise for a while as she wanders aimlessly around the grocery section of Junes.  
> Apparently she's learning to cook to impress a boy at school, and she's having some trouble.  
> That's why she was muttering to herself.  
> You tease her a bit about the weird ingredients she picked out.  
> She teases you about how you need a haircut.  
> She also insists on putting her phone number into your phone. You let her, because you think it would be good for her to have someone to contact if she ever needs help...  
> She plays it off with sarcasm, but she seems genuinely pleased. She blushes a little bit and takes an unflattering picture of you to set as your caller ID.  
> You think Rise might really have a bit of a crush on you. That's a bit troublesome, but at least it means she'll probably trust you to keep her safe if anything happens...  
> You wind up walking out of Junes with Rise.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I have to stop by the food court. Dojima-san told me to tell his nephew something."  
  
> Rise brightens.  
> Apparently Yu Narukami is the boy she's trying to impress.  
> She says that he's actually quite popular with girls at Yasogami High.  
> You don't understand that at all.  
> There's no sign of him in the food court, so you decide to go back to work.  
  
**> Assignment 01 - Suspicious Person in Junes: Case Closed.**  
  
> On your way out, Rise suddenly stops, staring through the glass exit doors.  
  
Rise  
"Oh no... they're back."  
  
> The paparazzi are waiting outside Junes for Rise.  
> She looks absolutely miserable, and a little bit frightened.  
> Your lip curls... harrassing a teenage girl trying to take a break...  
> How despicable.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I'll take care of it."  
  
> You pull Rise's hood up over her hair.  
> Then you take off your jacket so that both your gun and your badge are obviously visible, and drape it over Rise's head so her face is completely hidden.  
  
Rise  
"What the heck?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"Wait here."  
  
> You stalk out the front door of Junes, hands in your pockets.  
  
Cameraman  
"Hey, hey, is Risette in there? She is, right?"  
  
Light Yagami, Stone Cold Police Officer  
"Leave. Now."  
  
Cameraman  
"Huh? Who are you, her boyfriend?"  
  
Light Yagami, Stone Cold Police Officer  
"If you don't leave, Kujikawa-san will be pursuing legal action."  
  
Reporter  
"I think he's her boyfriend. Hey, hey, what's your name, man?"  
  
> They try to get the camera in your face. The reporter pushes the microphone at you.  
> You scowl.  
> You'll have to force them to leave.  
> You grab his wrist and slam him facedown onto the ground.  
  
Reporter  
"Agh--! What the hell, man, get off me!"  
  
> You grip the back of his head and grind his face into the concrete.  
> You lean over, putting your face very close to his head.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Get out of here and don't come back, or I'll rip the skin off your face and feed it to you."  
  
> You grind him harder into the ground, to emphasize the point.  
  
Reporter  
"Aagh! Fine! Get off, get off!"  
  
> You let him go and he scrambles to his feet.  
> His face is scraped up and his nose is bleeding.  
  
Reporter  
"You're crazy, man. You're fucking crazy. Let's get out of here."  
  
> Both of them run off.  
> After they're gone, Rise comes up behind you with your jacket still on her head.  
  
Rise  
"That was..."  
  
> You may have gone too far and scared her...  
  
Risette  
"That was sooo cool, Light!! Oh my gosh!"  
  
> ... She's alright.  
> She flings her arms around you in an uncomfortably tight hug, kicking up one of her legs like she's in a romantic comedy.  
> You do not hug her back.  
  
Light Yagami  
"This is... inappropriate."  
  
Risette  
"You saved me! Liiiight, you're totally falling for me, aren't you?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"Nope."  
  
> She laughs cheerfully.  
> You continue to be surrounded by over-enthusiastic teenagers...  
> You say good-bye to Rise and go back to work to tell Dojima that there's no shoplifters to worry about.  
> You didn't manage to get a look at the CCTV system today... maybe next time.  
  
**> Central Shopping District, North...**  
  
> You go to Souzai Daigaku for lunch.  
> Supposedly, the steak in Inaba is really good.  
> You emailed your mother about how you're settling in, and she asked you to investigate if the steak is as good as they say.  
> Apparently this place is a local favorite.  
> When you're ordering your croquettes, you can't not notice that there are several teenagers awkwardly hiding in the bushes across the street from you.  
> They're really obvious... the bushes are not large enough to hide all four of them.  
> Yukiko Amagi is one of them. Her bright red sweater is especially obvious... though all four of them are pretty conspicuous.  
> One of them seems to be some kind of gangster: he's huge, with bleached hair and some kind of skull tattoo on his arm.  
> You sit down at a table outside Souzai Daigaku and inspect your newly-acquired croquettes. They seem fine. Nothing special.  
> Across the street, the teenagers start whisper-shouting at each other.  
  
Headphones Boy  
"Wait, there he is!"  
  
Gangster Boy  
"Where?"  
  
Headphones Boy  
"There, you idiot, with the croquettes!"  
  
> The teenagers appear to be attempting to spy on you.  
> Do they think they're stealthy...?  
  
Gangster Boy  
"WHOA!!!"  
  
Gangster Boy  
"Holy shit! That's the guy?? Him??"  
  
Green Jacket Girl  
"Kanji, shhh!! Why are you shouting??"  
  
> She punches him.  
> You eat your croquettes while you watch them.  
> They really seem to think they're hidden.  
  
Kanji  
"He's so freakin' handsome! What the hell!!"  
  
Green Jacket Girl  
"SHHH! Geez, you're gonna blow our cover!"  
  
> As though it's not already blown...  
> The gangster boy, who is apparently named Kanji, hunches down and lowers his voice.  
  
Kanji  
"Right, right... my bad, senpai."  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"Is he really that handsome?"  
  
Green Jacket Girl  
"I guess..."  
  
> They both turn to look expectantly at the boy with the headphones.  
  
Headphones Boy  
"Wha-- what're you two looking at me for??"  
  
Headphones Boy  
"I mean, he is, but that's obvious! There's no reason to be looking at me specifically!"  
  
> They start shoving each other as they bicker, making the bushes rustle and shake.  
> If you hadn't noticed them before, you definitely would now.  
> People who pass by keep looking at them and shaking their heads... do they do this kind of thing a lot?  
> None of them see that you're looking at them. They're too busy arguing.  
> You're a little surprised that Yukiko has such rowdy friends...  
> Your croquettes are pretty good. You pull out your phone and take a picture to send to your mother.  
  
Green Jacket Girl  
"We're not here to investigate if he's handsome or not! Who cares!"  
  
Kanji  
"I care! It's distracting as hell! I can't stop looking at his face!!"  
  
Headphones Boy  
"Dude, now you're talking about it so much I can't look at anything else..."  
  
Green Jacket Girl  
"AARGHH!! You two are seriously getting on my nerves!"  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"Maybe if we focus on the reason we're here, it'll be easier to look away from his face."  
  
> She pauses for a long time.  
  
Yukiko Amagi  
"...Chie, why are we here?"  
  
Chie  
"How did you forget already?! Sheesh! We're tailing this guy to see if he seems like the kinda guy who we can get inside cop information from!"  
  
Chie  
"Also, y'know... he was on TV the other day... I mean, I'm sure it's fine, but, we should keep an eye on him just in case."  
  
> They want information from you...  
> "He was on TV the other day."  
> These teenagers are attempting to investigate the murders.  
> Why would they be investigating the murders on their own?  
> They have no reason to be dissatisfied with the police investigation. Shirogane said she has no friends, and you know she was telling the truth, so they didn't get the idea from her. No one else on the police force would have leaked information to them.  
> So, they have information that they didn't get from the police. They want more, and they're following you and not Adachi, so they don't know much.  
> But they know something...  
> You may have found the failed murder attempts.  
> They must know something about the supernatural nature of the murders, otherwise they would have gone to the police. They know how Adachi kills his victims...  
> They dissolve into bickering again, and Chie puts the boy with the headphones in a headlock.  
> They really are a rowdy bunch.  
> You should be careful not to scare them off. They're probably the only ones who know anything about the murder methods.  
> You wonder if they know anything about Izanami.  
> What would be the best way to extract information from them?  
> They want something from you... you should just wait for them to approach you. That way they'll be more comfortable, and they'll be more likely to cooperate. If you approach them first, they'll probably be unnerved.  
> You decide to pretend you don't notice them, for now.  
  
Yukiko  
"Watching him eat lunch isn't really going to help, is it, though?"  
  
Kanji  
"Yeah. Yeah! We should, uh... we should go talk to him. Y'know, for the investigation."  
  
Headphones Boy  
"Are you... blushing?"  
  
Chie  
"Yosuke, quit teasing him."  
  
Yosuke  
"I'm not teasing, I'm just saying."  
  
> You roll your eyes.  
> What is with this town? Is there something in the water?  
> There was only one gay person at your high school, and he got bullied until he dropped out and no one ever heard from him again.  
> As far as you know, that's pretty normal.  
> Even if times have changed and bullying like that isn't a problem any more, this seems like an unreasonable number of gay people.  
  
Kanji  
"It's not whatever you're thinking! Quit lookin' at me like that, dammit!"  
  
> You haven't even spoken to these kids yet and you're already sick of them.  
> You pinch the bridge of your nose and sigh.  
  
Chie  
"I really don't think he's that handsome, anyway. I don't really go for those pretty-boy types, you know?"  
  
Yosuke  
"Oho, Chie, are you finally gonna tell me what kinda guys you're into?"  
  
Chie  
"What?? You know what kinda guys I'm into! Guys like-- like-- uhh-- Yukiko, help me out."  
  
Yukiko  
"Jackie Chan?"  
  
Chie  
"Exactly! Like Jackie Chan! Thank you, Yukiko."  
  
Yosuke  
"Seriously? Isn't he like... in his sixties?"  
  
Chie  
"I meant when he was younger! Gross!"  
  
Yosuke  
"Hahahaaaa, Chie likes old dudes."  
  
Kanji  
"Hey, man. Jackie Chan looks good for an old dude."  
  
Yosuke  
"He looks old!"  
  
> They start bickering again.  
> You're going to have to get them to tell you what they know...  
> It seems you have a rather daunting task ahead of you.  
> You finish your croquettes and start heading back towards the police station. The teenagers don't follow... they're too wrapped up in their argument.  
  
**> Central Shopping District, South...**  
  
> ...  
> As you pass the gas station, you can feel someone staring at you...  
> But when you look around, you don't see anyone.  
> Strange...  
> For just a moment, you miss Ryuk.  
> It could be nothing, or it could be someone sent by Near...  
> You stop and look around more carefully.  
> There... lounging against the outside of the gas station, there's a gas station attendant.  
> You can't tell if they're a man or a woman. They're staring at you, eyes shadowed by the brim of their hat.  
> Something about them is really unnerving.  
  
Light Yagami  
"...?"  
  
> They tip their hat at you and go back inside.  
> That was weird.  
> Maybe you should investigate the gas station attendant, and see how long they've worked here.


	4. lead us not into temptation

  
**> Inaba Police Station...**  
  
> Adachi is watching you look through files.  
> You really wish he wasn't, but he told Dojima he was going to help you and followed you in here.  
> You can't kick him out without putting yourself in danger of seeming rude.  
> Adachi will tell everyone you're unfriendly, and it'll damage your reputation.  
> He's not helping, of course, he's just lounging on a pile of boxes and watching you, his chin propped up on his hand.  
  
Adachi  
"What're you looking for, exactly?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"Evidence I can use to put you in prison."  
  
Adachi  
"You really think you're gonna find any? Man, you're dumb."  
  
> He pulls out his cellphone and starts fiddling with it. It looks like he's playing a game.  
> It seems that Adachi finds you somewhat boring.  
  
Adachi  
"Plus, any evidence you find with me here, I'll just bury it."  
  
Light Yagami  
"You know there are surveillance cameras in here."  
  
> He looks up at the camera on the wall and snorts.  
  
Adachi  
"They've been broken for ages. Even if they weren't, who's looking at surveillance footage of you rooting around in some boxes of crap? Don't be such a narcissist."  
  
> Adachi flops into an even more aggravatingly casual pose on his pile of boxes.  
> Doesn't he have work he should be doing?  
> You really hate him.  
  
Adachi  
"So, how do you do it? Your murders, I mean."  
  
Light Yagami  
"..."  
  
> As if you would tell him that.  
  
Adachi  
"Come ooooon, don't be like that. Let's get along. We could be partners in crime."  
  
Light Yagami  
"You disgust me."  
  
Adachi  
"Hey, now. You should be nice to me. I'm the one who holds all the cards here, after all. What if I get upset and lose it and kill a bunch of people?"  
  
> You don't think he would do that... but you can't be sure.  
> Adachi doesn't seem stable or reasonable. It would be against his best interests to go on a killing spree, but you don't know if he cares about that.  
> He is right. You don't have a lot of power in this situation. The Death Note doesn't work on him. You don't have the resources or influence of L. You know next to nothing about Adachi. You have no leverage. You know he is a murderer, but you have no proof. You can't use it against him until you have something solid.  
> As the protector of this world, every murder he commits is your responsibility...  
> Since you don't know how his power works, you have to err on the side of caution and assume that this is a serious threat. You have to find a way to prevent that from happening.  
> You can't just disengage-- if you ignore him or try to freeze him out, he'll kill people to get your attention.  
> It seems that you're not going to be able to avoid interacting with Adachi.  
> No... you should think of this as an opportunity, rather than a trap.  
> If he's focused on you, he'll be easy to watch. If he's focused on you, you can manipulate him. You might be able to influence how he chooses his next victim. You can at least push him into a mistake, into giving you information.  
> All you have to do is keep him occupied. You don't actually have to keep him happy. You can antagonize him as much as you like.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Oh? I didn't mean to upset you."  
  
> You turn to him and lean artfully on the box you're currently looking through, curling your fingers against your cheek and tilting your head just so.  
> He frowns.  
> You lower your eyelashes at him and smile.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I'm so sorry. Whatever can I do to make it up to you, senpai?"  
  
> He looks revolted.  
  
Adachi  
"You're gross."  
  
> This is almost too easy.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Don't you want me to be nice to you, Tohru-senpai?"  
  
> You wink at him.  
> He looks even more revolted.  
  
Adachi  
"Cut it out, you freak."  
  
> He flings a stapler at your face.  
  
Light Yagami  
"!"  
  
> You just barely get your hands up in time to stop it from breaking your nose. It hits you hard and scrapes your knuckles a bit. Adachi threw it hard enough that you could have been seriously hurt...  
> He really is short-tempered.  
> ...Short-tempered but lazy. He didn't get up to hit you. However he kills his victims must not take much effort.  
> But he supposedly kidnaps his victims: what a strange contradiction. You conclude that he is somehow able to make it look like they have been kidnapped without him needing to actually do it. That would also explain why the failed attempts wouldn't or couldn't come forward.  
> You sit up and flex your fingers. It hurts, a little.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I thought we were having fun, Tohru."  
  
Adachi  
"You really think you're in a position to be messing with me?"  
  
> A bit of blood wells to the surface of your skin on your thumb.  
> It's only a small scrape, just barely enough to bleed. You gaze at it, distracted.  
> The blood trickles slowly down the back of your hand.  
> You watch it curiously.  
> No one's made you bleed in a long time. You almost forgot that you even could.  
> You want to touch it, but you think that might be a bit too strange.  
  
Light Yagami  
"You started it."  
  
> Adachi is about to say something...  
> But Dojima opens the door and leans in.  
  
Dojima  
"You two getting along in here?"  
  
> You could insist that everything is fine.  
> But why make things easy for Adachi when you don't have to?  
> He's given you no real reason to try to smooth things over on his behalf.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Adachi-san threw a stapler at me."  
  
> You hold up your bleeding hand.  
  
Dojima  
"He what? Adachi!"  
  
> Dojima believes you. The stapler is on the floor next to you, after all.  
> Dojima now thinks of you as an honest person who can't really stand up for himself. That's a little more pathetic than you'd initially intended, but you can adjust it later. "I'm new" is a good broad excuse for all sorts of mistakes and persona adjustments.  
> Adachi is surprised and offended that you tattled, but there's nothing he can do about it.  
> He tries anyway.  
  
Adachi  
"What?! No, I didn't!"  
  
> It doesn't work. Already, Dojima is willing to take your word over Adachi's, as long as it's within reason. Even though Adachi's his partner, he doesn't seem to like him much as a person.  
> He scowls at Adachi.  
  
Dojima  
"Adachi, with me, now."  
  
> Adachi gives you a venomous look on his way out.  
> Dojima doesn't close the door behind him all the way, so you can hear their voices fading down the hall as they walk away...  
  
Dojima  
"I can't believe I have to say this. Don't throw things at people."  
  
Adachi  
"Hey, it's not my fault Mr. Tokyo U can't take a joke."  
  
Dojima  
"Maybe your jokes just aren't any good, you thought about that? For crying out loud, Adachi..."  
  
> Their voices fade to an inaudible volume.  
> You keep looking through files.  
> ...  
> It takes a long time, but you manage to dig up something.  
> It seems that Kanji Tatsumi, Yukiko Amagi, and Rise Kujikawa all disappeared for a few days in the last few months. Their disappearances weren't taken seriously as kidnappings, and they came back as though nothing had happened, so nobody thought it was relevant to the murders.  
> Their disappearances were scattered over time, far enough apart that the less intelligent police officers wouldn't have seen any reason for suspicion. Shirogane must have noticed, and decided not to tell you about it for some reason.  
> All the reports really tell you is that you were right. It doesn't say anything useful. They don't even have statements from the victims.  
> You decide to ask Shirogane about the disappearances. You're sure she knows something.  
> When you emerge from the archive room, she's nowhere to be found...  
> You wonder where she is.  
> You go back to your desk.  
> When you get there, Adachi is sitting at his desk. He is scowling and fiddling with a mechanical pencil.  
> When you sit down, he scoots his chair a little bit closer to you.  
  
Adachi  
"You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"  
  
> You glance at him, but don't turn your head to face him.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Dojima-san doesn't think so."  
  
> This makes Adachi scowl harder. Though he might insist otherwise, he's jealous. He's bitter that Dojima likes you more than he likes him.  
  
Adachi  
"I'm going to make you regret screwing with me."  
  
> You really doubt that.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Oh? What do you imagine you'll do to me? Throw another stapler? Tell everyone that 'Light Yagami is Kira?'"  
  
Light Yagami  
"You really think anyone will believe that?"  
  
> He grinds his teeth.  
  
Adachi  
"I'll think of something. I'm resourceful like that."  
  
**> The Amagi Inn...**  
  
> It's raining when you get back to the inn. You are soaking wet.  
> In the lobby, you see Yukiko, Chie, Kanji, Yosuke, Rise, and Yu, all huddled together and talking loudly.  
> They all know each other...  
> It seems that whatever they're mixed up in, it involves all of them.  
> There's also another boy there who you don't recognize. He looks foreign. You haven't seen him around town at all.  
> You stop in the entryway to listen to their loud conversation.  
> It seems that they are talking about you again.  
  
Kanji  
"Did you seriously get his number?"  
  
Rise  
"Believe it!"  
  
> She hands him her phone triumphantly.  
> He looks amazed.  
  
Kanji  
"Whoa... it's for real!"  
  
> She plants her hands on her hips and tosses her hair with a proud chuckle.  
  
Rise  
"Hmhmhm...! I used my feminine wiles!"  
  
> ...You wish she wouldn't tell them that kind of thing.  
  
Yu  
"Feminine wiles..."  
  
> Especially not him.  
> She laughs airily and pats him on the shoulder.  
  
Rise  
"Senpai, it wouldn't work for you, you don't have any feminine wiles. No offense."  
  
Foreign Boy  
"What are wiles, sensei?"  
  
Yosuke  
"Ugh... it's difficult to describe..."  
  
Kanji  
"What the hell, Rise? This contact picture isn't flattering at all!! And why is is so freakin' blurry??"  
  
Rise  
"Wha-- well, I was rushed! He kept moving around! Here, gimme that back, I'll ask him to send me a selfie."  
  
> She snatches her phone out of his hands.  
  
Kanji  
"Texting him just like that?? Man, Rise, you're on a whole other level."  
  
Yosuke  
"How do you know him again? You said you met him at work, but he's a cop. Don't tell me he's a model, too..."  
  
Rise  
"Of course not! He's dating Misa-Misa, don't you know anything? They've been together _forever_. She drags him to photoshoots and stuff."  
  
Yosuke  
"Misa-Misa, huh... Man, some guys have all the luck."  
  
Foreign Boy  
"This guy sounds like a real pro! Amazing! He's got _everyone_ falling for him."  
  
Yosuke  
"What do you mean, _everyone??_ "  
  
Foreign Boy  
"Sensei, you, Kanji, Rise--"  
  
Yosuke  
"Hang on!"  
  
Foreign Boy  
"What?"  
  
Yosuke  
"Why am I on that list??"  
  
Foreign Boy  
"Ehh? You wrote in your diary--"  
  
Yosuke  
"STOP READING MY DIARY!!"  
  
Yosuke  
"ALSO I DON'T HAVE A DIARY!!! DIARIES ARE FOR GIRLS!!!!"  
  
> Rise grimaces.  
  
Rise  
"Aaaaanywaaaaay, Misa's a total weirdo, and suuuuper tacky. He's not lucky at all. He doesn't even like her that much. Everybody knows they're just together because Misa's totally crazy. She's one of those weirdo intense Kira worshippers! He's probably scared she'd try something freaky if he dumped her."  
  
Rise  
"I mean, a lot of guys totally fall for her cutesy act, but Light's not that stupid."  
  
> Yosuke doesn't seem like he knows she's calling him stupid.  
  
Kanji  
"So it's like that, huh? I thought she didn't seem like his type..."  
  
Yosuke  
"What's his type, then?"  
  
Rise  
"Haha, why do _you_ care, Yosuke-senpai?"  
  
Foreign Boy  
"Like I said--"  
  
Yosuke  
"SHUT UP!! NO REASON!!"  
  
> Rise laughs at him.  
  
Chie  
"Sheesh, you guys are really into this guy... Can we please talk about something besides Yagami-san's dating life?"  
  
Yosuke  
"Oh, like how your big crush on Jackie Chan made us screw up our recon mission and now we're gonna have to be extra sneaky if we ever wanna follow him again? Which, we probably can't do, because he never goes anywhere or does anything?!"  
  
Chie  
"Hey! You and Kanji were the ones shouting!"  
  
Yosuke  
"What-- you were shouting, too, Chie!"  
  
Chie  
"You started it!"  
  
Rise  
"You know, you guys really didn't need to go all secret agent on him... I'm sure he'd just talk to you about whatever. He's really nice."  
  
Yosuke  
"We can't just talk to him! What're we supposed to say?? If we're going to talk to anybody, it should be Naoto-kun, right?"  
  
Chie  
"Speaking of Naoto-kun... I'm a little worried about that guy, after what he said to us on the way to school."  
  
Yosuke  
"The killer's been caught, you guys. It was Mitsuo. We all saw him confess."  
  
> They all go quiet, apparently uncomfortable.  
> You could take this opportunity to go upstairs, but that last comment has you thinking.  
> "Saw him confess." What does that mean? How could they have seen Mitsuo Kubo confess to the murders? They weren't at the police station when it happened.  
> Could Kubo have confessed to them separately? Why would he have done that? Did they track him down and interrogate him somehow?  
> It seems that they're all much more involved in the murders than you thought. You need to know what they know.  
> You could probably get information from either Rise or Narukami.  
> Or any of them, really, given how enamored with you they all seem to be.  
> Yu looks around, troubled by the silence. You're about to be cornered into another interaction with him.  
> You can't figure out how to avoid it...  
  
Yu  
"!!"  
  
> He sees you, and he starts striding quickly over to you, looking inordinately cheerful.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san! Hello!"  
  
> The rest of them turn to look at you as well, surprised.  
> You try to look wearily friendly, as though the effort of being nice is exhausting. You've had a long day at work, and you are just too polite to say you don't want to be bothered.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Tired Coworker  
"Oh, hello..."  
  
> You rub your eyes tiredly. You will be friendly, but you will not be his friend. You are an adult, no matter how young Dojima thinks you are. You have to stop him from thinking of you as his peer.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Tired Coworker  
"What a surprise, seeing you here. Are you a friend of Yukiko-san's?"  
  
> He nods.  
> The rest of his friends are all looking at you. You wonder if he doesn't notice the scrutiny or if he just doesn't care.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"We're in the same class at Yasogami."  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Tired Coworker  
"How nice."  
  
> He looks at you, and seems to pick up on the very obvious cues you're sending out. He can tell you're tired.  
> Perhaps predictably, he steps a little closer to you instead of backing off. All you seem to have done is make him concerned for your wellbeing, which he can use as an excuse to get closer to you.  
> You very distinctly hear his friends talking in stage whispers across the room.  
  
Yosuke  
"He's about to do something embarrassing. I can see it in his shoulders. This is bad."  
  
Foreign Boy  
"Wow, Yosuke. You're really perceptive when it comes to him, huh?"  
  
Yosuke  
"Huh? I don't know about that, just-- I mean, look at him!"  
  
Chie  
"You're totally right, Yosuke! How do we stop him?"  
  
Kanji  
"Tackle him?"  
  
Yukiko  
"A diversion?"  
  
> Their conversation does not exactly fill you with optimism.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"You seem tired. Would you like..."  
  
> He stops mid-sentence, staring at you with his wide colorless eyes.  
> He seems to be deciding what to say next. You're not really sure you want to hear the end of the sentence. You glance at the stairs and fantasize about a world in which you could just leave.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"A backru--"  
  
Yosuke  
**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHH! ! ! ! ! !"**  
  
> When he opens his mouth to talk again, there's a loud unpleasant noise on the other side of the room. A loud hoarse scream. It's not nearly loud enough to drown out Narukami's voice like it's clearly supposed to.  
> It seems that Yosuke really likes screaming.  
> Narukami jumps about a foot in the air and whirls around, obviously deeply concerned for his friend's wellbeing.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"??"  
  
> You look over at Narukami's friends. They all seem to be barely restraining uproarious laughter, except for Yosuke.  
> Yosuke looks like he wants to die. His face is bright red.  
  
Kanji  
"Was that... your diversion?"  
  
Yukiko  
"How dramatic... was it really such a high-tension situation?"  
  
Foreign Boy  
"Wow! What a powerful roar! Nice one, Yosuke!"  
  
Chie  
"Pfft... Yosuke, that was so weird!"  
  
> It's Chie who starts laughing first.  
> Yosuke buries his face in his hands and makes a whining groaning noise.  
> Aggravation prickles over your skin like goosebumps at the noise. How obnoxious...  
  
Yosuke  
"I couldn't think of anything else to do!!"  
  
> Rise slings her arm around his dejected shoulders.  
  
Rise  
"Guys, come on. I think it was very brave of Yosuke-senpai to embarrass himself in front of Light like that. I mean, he'll never recover, and Light's going to think he's a weirdo forever. Shouldn't we-- heh-- shouldn't we honor his sacrifice?"  
  
Yosuke  
"Rise-chan... couldn't you at least lie and say he didn't notice, to spare my feelings?"  
  
> Narukami hurriedly excuses himself and jogs over to them to ask if Yosuke is hurt. It seems he regularly concerns himself with the wellbeing of the people he cares about. He's the kind of person who just can't mind his own business.  
> You decide to extract yourself from this situation before it gets any more out of hand.  
  
**> Assignment 02: The Midnight Channel**  
  
> It's 11:55 PM.  
> You can hear the rain pounding on the inn's roof. It's really coming down out there.  
> You remember the rumor Shirogane mentioned... the "Midnight Channel," was it?  
> If you look into a TV when it's raining at midnight, you'll see your soulmate.  
> You don't put much stock in urban legends like that, and it hardly seems relevant to your pursuit of Adachi.  
> ...  
> You are a little curious as to why Shirogane brought it up, though. She isn't the superstitious type, as far as you can tell. Why would she have mentioned it, if it isn't relevant? You know so little about Adachi's powers, maybe it would help to pursue anything supernatural in town.  
> If it's not connected directly to the murders, could it be connected to the goddess Izanami?  
> You crawl over to the television in the corner of your room and sit in front of it.  
> Despite yourself, you can feel your heart pounding in your chest. It's disturbing, to think there's some other mystical power out there beyond the Death Note. Something more powerful. Something you don't understand at all.  
> It's disturbing, but it's also... a little bit exciting.  
> You stare at the TV, not sure what to expect. You don't know if you really expect anything.  
> You glance down at your watch just as it ticks past midnight. This is it...  
> For a moment, there's nothing...  
> But then, the screen buzzes with static. You jump and look around to make sure you didn't turn it on by accident. The remote is on the other side of the room, and the light on the bottom of the TV screen indicates that it's still turned off.  
> Through the static you think you can make out a shape... perhaps it's just your eyes desperate to find a pattern in the visual noise?  
> You look closer...  
> It looks like a person.  
> You squint at the static.  
> There's no detail. It's mostly just static.  
> You're not sure why... there's no real reason... it's just a feeling... but...  
> You get the distinct impression that it's a detective.  
> A... detective...?  
  
Light Yagami  
"Gh--!!"  
  
> You're suddenly overcome by a sharp pain in your head.  
> You flinch and twitch away from the TV, tearing your eyes off the static.  
> The pain starts to fade as you blink and rub your temples.  
> What... on earth...?  
> When you look back at the TV, there's nothing on the screen. It's turned off. All you can see is your faint reflection in the black screen.  
> It seems that the Midnight Channel rumor has some basis in reality. You followed the instructions, and you saw something. You're not sure what it was, though. Static, and a blurry shape.  
> A detective...  
> Why do you think that?  
> You feel very certain that the person you saw was a detective. It just... seemed like it. But thinking about it, you can't recall seeing any details. Just a sort of person-shaped thing. It was... small, you think.  
> Does it really show you your soulmate? If that's what it's supposed to do, it doesn't do a very good job.  
> Not that you believe in soulmates. Since soulmates aren't real, this must be something else. But what?  
> You didn't imagine it. You're certain of that. The television was turned off, and yet you saw something in it anyway. This must be supernatural, in some way. Related, presumably, to Adachi's murders or Izanami.  
> What you saw... it was so vague. Was it really trying to show you anything?  
  
Light Yagami  
"How useless..."  
  
> You go lie down on your futon.  
> Is this really just a big waste of time?  
> You shouldn't just dismiss this out of hand. You should keep your mind open. You don't know anything about the powers at work here. This could be related to the case in some way you don't understand.  
> It seems that, on top of everything else... you have to find out more about the Midnight Channel.  
> Shirogane must know something about it, since she's the one who brought it up. Is it different for everyone? Have other people who looked into it seen something more concrete than a blurry staticky shape? Why? Do you have to do something in order to see a person, rather than a shape?  
> If soulmates are real, could it be that you just don't have one? No... if that were the case, you would surely have seen nothing at all, instead of a vague shape.  
> Entertaining this line of thinking... why would something that supposedly "shows you your soulmate" be so difficult to see?  
> Surely if it were supposed to be so blurry, that would be part of the story. Something like... "if you look into the TV, the Midnight Channel will give you a blurry impression of your soulmate."  
> ...That's not very catchy, but still. Something more like that.  
> You lace your fingers together behind your head and stare up at the ceiling. Since you have no idea what this is really about, you have no choice but to entertain all the hypotheticals... it's a little more entertaining than running in circles trying to figure out Adachi's murder method with no evidence or hints whatsoever.  
> So, if soulmates are real, and the Midnight Channel shows everyone their soulmate, your case is an exceptional circumstance, yes?  
> Perhaps it's just your case, then. Why would that be? Hypothetically speaking. What's so special about you and your soulmate?  
> You suppose if someone's soulmate were dead, then that could affect the appearance of the image.  
> If...  
> ...  
> A dead... detective...  
> ......  
> ..............  
> ..........................  
> Soulmates aren't real, anyway.  
> You decide to go to sleep.  
> Tomorrow, you should extract all the information you can out of Shirogane.  
> It seems that those teenagers... Yu Narukami's gang... might not leave you alone...  
> You should see if you can get Rise to tell you what they're up to.  
> You still need to get a burner phone from Junes, too...  
> There's a lot to do in Inaba.  
  
**> Morning...**  
  
> Your cellphone buzzes in your pocket while you're brushing your teeth.  
> You pull it out, frowning. If it's this early, it could be Dojima.  
  
Rise  
goooood morning light!!! \ (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o))) /  
  
> Ah... not Dojima.  
> It seems that Rise has decided, after several days, to use your phone number for non-emergencies.  
> Rise sent a picture along with the text. It's a selfie with a lot of filters on it. It's very sparkly. She's winking and still in her pajamas.  
> You're not really sure what to do with this.  
> You shouldn't just ignore her... that would be too cold. You need to get information out of one of these kids, and Rise is the least obnoxious by far. You shouldn't encourage her, though. Sending you cutesy photos could get out of hand quickly.  
> You text back with one hand and keep brushing your teeth with the other.  
  
Light Yagami  
Good morning.  
  
Rise  
aren't u gonna tell me I look cute???? meanie!! ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚  
  
Light Yagami  
That would be inappropriate.  
  
Rise  
its only inappropriate if ur secretly falling for me!! (ゝ◡╹)ノ♡  
  
> You roll your eyes.  
  
Light Yagami  
No, it's inappropriate either way.  
  
Light Yagami  
Also, get dressed, you have school.  
  
Rise  
okaaaaaaay~~~ ♡♡♡♡♡  
  
Light Yagami  
Tone down the hearts or I'll start ignoring you.  
  
Rise  
(//= w =//)ゞ  
  
Light Yagami  
No blushing emoji, either. You'll get me in trouble.  
  
Rise  
omggggg im just joking... but fineeeeeeee i'll stop  
  
> You put your phone back in your pocket and spit your toothpaste into the sink. It's good that she agreed. You shouldn't have too much trouble getting her to tell you what her friends are up to... you just have to figure out how to talk to her about it.  
  
**> Central Shopping District, South...**  
  
> On your way to work, you pass through the shopping district.  
> It happens again...  
> You feel someone staring at you as you approach the gas station. The same gas station attendant is lurking where they were last time... even though it's pouring rain. They don't even have an umbrella.  
> You want to just ignore them, but something about the way they're staring at you is just too annoying. It feels like little needles stabbing into your neck.  
> When you're close to them, you stop, and look at them. You still can't tell if it's a man or a woman...  
  
Light Yagami  
"Can I help you?"  
  
> A woman...  
> She tips her hat up and smiles at you.  
  
Gas Station Attendant  
"Haha... shouldn't I be asking you that?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"It seemed like you were looking at me."  
  
Attendant  
"Oops. You caught me."  
  
> She holds up her hands, still smiling.  
> She seems... very normal. You still feel strangely tense.  
  
Attendant  
"The truth is... usually, because of my job, I meet everyone who comes into town. But I haven't met you, since you didn't drive. I'm just a typical small-town girl, I guess... everyone wants to rubberneck at the new people in town."  
  
Attendant  
"It's Light Yagami, isn't it?"  
  
> She sticks out her hand, and you shake it. It's cold and sort of damp from the rain.  
  
Light Yagami  
"That's me."  
  
Attendant  
"Welcome to Inaba. It's very exciting to have you here."  
  
> Her cold damp hand is really uncomfortable.  
> You would like to withdraw from the handshake, but her grip is surprisingly strong.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Exciting?"  
  
> She grins at you.  
  
Attendant  
"Yeah! Isn't it always exciting to meet new people?"  
  
> This girl... she's so normal, but somehow you feel like she's very strange.  
> She finally lets go of your hand.  
  
Attendant  
"How are you settling in? Are you meeting people you like?"  
  
> You don't have time for this... you didn't approach her to start a friendly conversation.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I'm settling in fine. I mostly keep to myself."  
  
Light Yagami  
"I'm sorry, I have to go to work."  
  
> She nods.  
  
Attendant  
"Sorry to hold you up. Have a good day!"  
  
> As you walk away, it occurs to you that she didn't introduce herself...  
> This town is full of weirdos.  
  
**> Inaba Police Station...**  
  
> Naoto Shirogane is not at work today.  
> This is irritating. You want to ask her about the Midnight Channel and the disappearances of the other teenagers in town. You know she knows something about the case.  
> You sit restlessly at your desk. You chew on your thumbnail a little bit, scowling at the paperwork in front of you.  
> Where could she be? Did she make her move already? That fast? You're frustrated. You wanted to observe, to see how Adachi moves. Why couldn't she have waited?  
> When Adachi sits down next to you, you lean over.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Where is Shirogane?"  
  
> Adachi raises his eyebrows...  
> Then he shrugs. It's a very nonchalant shrug.  
  
Adachi  
"Ahh, who knows? That guy's always wandering off, doing whatever he wants. Really unreliable. That's to be expected from a kid his age, though, right?"  
  
> He picks up a rubber band off his desk, leans his chair almost all the way back, and aims it at you.  
> For fuck's sake... how juvenile can he possibly be?  
  
Light Yagami  
"It's a bit risky to go after a coworker, isn't it?"  
  
Adachi  
" _Coworker?_ I wouldn't go that far."  
  
> He grimaces.  
  
Adachi  
"Isn't it annoying? Being expected to take someone like him seriously. It's such a farce."  
  
> It is annoying.  
> Sure, she takes the work seriously, but... being expected to act like this weird little girl playing dress-up isn't a weird little girl playing dress-up is irritating. She's not even that helpful. She's withholding information from you, and more from the rest of them.  
> Adachi snaps the rubber band at you.  
> It hits you in the face, stinging a little bit, and falls onto your lap.  
  
Adachi  
"Why do you care, anyway? Trying to get evidence for your dinky little investigation? I'd bet money he doesn't know anything useful."  
  
Light Yagami  
"Nothing useful? Then you won't mind telling me about the Midnight Channel."  
  
> He puts his feet up on his desk and twirls a pen in his hand.  
  
Adachi  
"That urban legend? There's not a lot to it, is there?"  
  
> His disinterest is obviously feigned.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I know it has something to do with the murders."  
  
> He doesn't react. You might be on the wrong track. You can't tell what that lack of reaction means.  
  
Adachi  
"You're kinda grasping at straws over there, huh? You don't even have any idea how it's related? Laaaame."  
  
> You might hate him more than you've ever hated anyone before. He's infuriating. It's not like how you hated L. He was at least interesting. Adachi is just frustrating.  
  
Adachi  
"I mean, you even looked at it and you haven't figured it out? How can you be _that_ dense?"  
  
> He punctuates this by flicking another rubber band at your face.  
> So it _is_ related. In a way that should have been obvious when you looked at it...  
> But it didn't actually show you anything. Is it obvious that it's unrelated?  
> Maybe if you keep Adachi talking, you can get him to explain.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Stop snapping rubber bands at my face."  
  
Adachi  
"What're you gonna do about it?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"..."  
  
> There's not really anything you can do about it. It's not really bullying, so you can't tell Dojima or you'll just be a whiner.  
> He sneers at you.  
  
Adachi  
"That's what I thought. I'm not gonna give you any helpful hints for your little urban legend scavenger hunt."  
  
**> Lunch time...**  
  
> You stand outside during your lunch break so you can avoid Adachi. He's so aggravating.  
> While you're out there, your phone rings.  
> It's Rise...  
  
Light Yagami  
"Rise, I'm at work."  
  
Rise  
"Light! Sorry to bother you, but I--!!"  
  
> She sounds sort of breathless and anxious.  
  
Rise  
"Is Naoto-kun at work today?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"I haven't seen Shirogane since yesterday."  
  
Rise  
"Oh, no..."  
  
> Oh, no?  
> You're definitely right. Naoto Shirogane is missing.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Isn't he at school?"  
  
Rise  
"No. He wasn't at school yesterday, either. No one's seen him..."  
  
> She inhales sharply and suddenly tries to pretend to be cheerful.  
  
Rise  
"I mean, um, I'm sure it's fine! I'm sure he's fine. I was just wondering. Since we're in the same year. That's all! Okay bye!!"  
  
> She hangs up on you.  
> It seems that Rise is looking for Shirogane... perhaps you can figure out what they know.  
> You could offer to help find her. Could you? No, that would seem strange. She hasn't been gone long enough for it to actually be reasonable to worry about her. You don't think they would even accept your help, considering Rise's awkward hurriedness.  
> Dammit.  
> You shove your phone back into your pocket. A missed opportunity... this whole thing could have been really useful, if Shirogane had just waited. Why did she have to go do whatever it is she did?  
> And what did she do?  
> Your train of thought is interrupted by Adachi coming up behind you and slinging his arm around your neck.  
  
Adachi  
"Two-timing Misa-Misa with a younger model, huh?"  
  
> He chuckles at his own pun.  
> You do not.  
  
Light Yagami  
"If you're going to eavesdrop, at least listen. She was just calling to see if Shirogane came to work. She sounded worried."  
  
Adachi  
"I'm just teasing. You're no fun at all, Light."  
  
> You try to pull away and he tightens his arm.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Get off."  
  
Adachi  
"Let's go to Junes. I need to grab lunch."  
  
Light Yagami  
"No."  
  
Adachi  
"Oh, so you'll let me eat some of yours?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"Definitely not."  
  
Adachi  
"Then let's go."  
  
> Somehow... you end up going to Junes with Adachi...  
  
**> Junes Food Court...**

> It's still raining.  
> When you arrive at the food court, you're greeted by a familiar employee.  
  
Yosuke  
"Hi, welcome to Ju-- Junes. Hi. Uh."  
  
> It seems that, unfortunately, by the time you get to Junes school is out.  
> It seems that, also unfortunately for you, Yu Narukami's friend Yosuke works at Junes after school.  
> Behind him, you can see the rest of the squad gathered at a table. The foreign boy from yesterday isn't there, replaced by a large stuffed animal. Or a mascot type thing. A bear of some kind?  
> Only about half of them fit under the table's umbrella.  
  
Adachi  
"You're... Hanamura-san, I think, right?"  
  
> He stares at Adachi and then stares at you again. He looks a little bit pale, and rather soggy.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Hello again. Are you feeling alright after...?"  
  
> You're not sure how to politely describe his sudden screaming last night, so you just trail off.  
> He goes from pale to very red extraordinarily quickly.  
  
Yosuke  
"Ahahahahahhhhello. Hi. Yeah. Yep. Everything is fine."  
  
> Adachi looks over Yosuke's shoulder at the table full of teenagers.  
  
Adachi  
"The whole gang is here, huh? You guys sure do like Junes."  
  
Yosuke  
"Yeah."  
  
> He looks at you, obviously uncomfortable.  
  
Yosuke  
"Can I help you find anything?"  
  
Adachi  
"Please don't."  
  
Yosuke  
"Huh?"  
  
> Adachi suddenly freezes, staring over Yosuke's shoulder, and his bland smile slips for a moment into a deeply annoyed frown.  
  
Adachi  
"Ah, fuck, he's coming over."  
  
> He says this quietly enough that only you can hear him.  
> You look to see what he's so horrified by...  
> It's Yu Narukami.  
> He looks ecstatic.  
  
Kanji  
"Wait, senpai, we gotta--"  
  
Rise  
"Senpai, come back!"  
  
Yu  
"Adachi-san! Yagami-san!"  
  
> Yosuke looks like he's in pain.  
> All of his other friends look exasperated.  
> Your eyes linger on the rest of his gang for a moment. They're definitely up to something. They're having some sort of hushed frantic conversation over there.  
> You wish you didn't have Adachi here with you.  
> Narukami looks happy to see you, and Adachi. He points at the two of you, staring with his weird stony eyes.  
  
Yu  
"Ah... could it be that you two are... friends?"  
  
Adachi  
"Haha, no way. Yagami's too much of a snob to be friends with me."  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Coworker  
"Narukami, don't you have club activities to be doing?"  
  
> He rubs his neck and glances away sheepishly.  
  
Yu  
"Sort of... but... there's something more important that I have to do today."  
  
Light Yagami, Your Uncle's Coworker  
"What's that?"  
  
Yu  
"Um..."  
  
Yosuke  
"Studying!"  
  
> Yosuke is not a good liar. He looks extremely nervous, and his smile is strained.  
> He wraps his arm around Narukami in an awkward side-hug.  
  
Yosuke  
"There's a big history exam coming up, so he really needs to study."  
  
> Yu nods. These kids...  
> They're not subtle at all.  
  
Light Yagami  
"You're friends of Rise's, right?"  
  
Yosuke  
"Huh? Yeah...?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"Do you know if she's tracked down Shirogane yet? She called me earlier because she was looking for him."  
  
> They glance at each other before answering.  
  
Yosuke  
"Not yet. He's a pretty mysterious guy, though, so..."  
  
Yu  
"Do either of you know where he hangs out when he's not at work or at school?"  
  
Adachi  
"Nah. He's probably just at home, though, right?"  
  
> He looks at you like he's expecting you to go along with it.  
> You decide not to do that.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Shirogane's a hard worker. I've only known him for a few days, but it doesn't seem like him to skip work. Perhaps he's chasing a lead on the case."  
  
Adachi  
"Well, that's good news, right? Since the case is closed, any lead he's chasing is a dead end."  
  
> "Dead end." Is he... making puns again?  
> How tasteless.  
> Narukami looks troubled. He opens his mouth to say something else, but he's interrupted.  
  
Rise  
"Senpai! Come on!"  
  
Chie  
"Seriously, we have that-- that _super important meeting_ to go to in the electronics department!"  
  
> Yosuke cringes.  
  
Yosuke  
"C'mon, Chie... that's not subtle at all..."  
  
> None of them are subtle at all!  
> You are so aggravated. If Adachi weren't here, this would all be so easy. They're all too stupid to keep what they're doing a secret.  
> Yu and Yosuke apologize excessively and scuttle off. Adachi watches them go with a peculiarly empty facial expression.  
  
Adachi  
"God, they're annoying. C'mon, I'm starving."


	5. things which we ought not to have done

  
**> Inaba Police Station...**  
  
Dojima  
"Hey, Yagami."  
  
> Dojima stops you when you're packing up your things to go home.  
> Adachi's lurking behind him, with his bland smile and faux-harmless posture.  
  
Dojima  
"We're going to get a drink. Join us?"  
  
Adachi  
"Aw, Dojima-san, come on..."  
  
Dojima  
"Can it."  
  
> Dojima has invited you to go get a drink with him and Adachi.  
> This sounds absolutely awful, and you don't really want to go.  
> Adachi looks like he doesn't want you to come with them, either.  
> Unfortunately for you, you can't afford to be unsociable. Especially not if Adachi is going around telling people you're a snob.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Coworker  
"I'd love to!"  
  
> Dojima smiles at you and claps you on the back.  
  
Dojima  
"Great."  
  
> You follow Dojima and Adachi to the bar.  
> It's... the convenience store in the shopping district, but with awful colored lighting and all the crowded shelves put away somewhere.  
  
**> Shiroku Pub**  
  
> There's a large fishtank along one wall. Is that... new? You don't remember there being a fishtank here before, but you were admittedly a bit distracted by Yu Narukami buying magic beads.  
> You're pretty sure you would have noticed such an enormous fishtank, though.  
> Dojima and Adachi sit at the bar. You're not sure you trust those chairs. This whole place seems somewhat unsanitary.  
> You hang back.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I've never been to a bar that was also a convenience store."  
  
Adachi  
"Small towns, am I right?"  
  
Dojima  
"It is a little strange, but the drinks aren't bad and I like to look at the fish. Sit down, Yagami, relax."  
  
> You put your jacket on the seat next to him before you sit on it. Adachi notices, and raises his eyebrows at you.  
> Dojima orders a beer. Adachi orders sake.  
> You don't really feel like drinking, but if you just get water or a soda they'll think you're a snob. You could pretend to be a recovering alcoholic, but that would add several completely unnecessary complications to your situation.  
> You could order something that isn't very strong, like wine or beer. You hate beer, and wine isn't much better on the snob front.  
> You order scotch on the rocks and watch the fishtank.  
> There's only one fish in there, and no decorations or plants. You can't tell what kind of fish it is. It's very ugly.  
> This town gives you an unpleasant cloying feeling. It's too humid, too small, too idyllic. Everything seems to move in slow motion. Everything here is strange, but not outrageously so-- like a hanging on a wall that never quite sits even. It rubs you the wrong way.  
> You do not like it much.  
  
Dojima  
"So, Yagami, how're you settling in? You know where everything is yet?"  
  
> He seems tired, but he's trying to be conversational anyway.  
> You smile at him like you want to be here and spew some vague platitudes.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Coworker  
"I think so! It always takes me some time to get used to a new place, but I'm getting there. I'll be moving into my apartment soon, and that will definitely help me feel more at home. Everyone here is so friendly."  
  
> Dojima nods and rubs the back of his head. It seems to be a sort of nervous tic.  
> Adachi rolls his eyes at you.  
  
Dojima  
"I'm sorry Yu hasn't given you that tour he promised you. That kid's way too busy for a high schooler. He's in a bunch of clubs, he's got at least four part-time jobs that I know about, and he's always volunteering to help out with stuff around town. He has a tendency to overcommit."  
  
> You have to admit you're a little surprised. Narukami doesn't seem like the overachiever type, what with his overeager staring and large crowd of loud obnoxious friends, and it seems like it would be difficult to stay busy in a town this small.  
> You try to look amazed.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Coworker  
"Wow, that's impressive."  
  
> Dojima smiles. He seems proud of Narukami, as though he's his son.  
  
Dojima  
"Yeah. It is. You know, I was worried when he first came to stay with me... his parents warned me he was strange, so I thought he might have trouble here, but he's actually really popular. I think everyone forgets he's only here temporarily... I wouldn't want to speak for him, but I feel like he's already made this place his home."  
  
> It seems like Dojima could talk about Narukami forever.  
> You don't really want to hear about Narukami that much... how can you redirect his fatherly energy?  
  
Dojima  
"You know he's on the basketball team _and_ in the drama club? His interests are all over the place. Usually kids his age are so concerned about their reputation, and what people think about them, but he just does whatever he likes... he brought home one of those giant robot models the other day..."  
  
> Adachi is drinking a lot and not saying anything. You suspect he's heard all of this before.  
> You make vague interested noises and sip your scotch.  
> It's nasty... you'll stick to water next time, even if it makes you look like a snob.  
> You remember you wanted to know more about Nanako, and her presumably-dead mother.  
> While Dojima is taking a swig of beer, you change the subject.  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Coworker  
"How is he with Nanako?"  
  
Dojima  
"He's great! He doesn't have any siblings back home, but he's really taken a shine to her. I don't know how he finds the time to help her with her homework, but he does. I wish he'd take a little more responsibility sometimes..."  
  
> No, you don't want to hear about him!  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Coworker  
"I imagine it'd be difficult not to take a shine to her. She's adorable."  
  
> Wait... is it strange to call her adorable? Is that creepy?  
> You should be more careful when you speak. You don't want him to get the wrong idea.  
  
Dojima  
"She really is. Not like me, haha... she takes after her mother. We have these photographs of Chisato as a young girl, and Nanako's... just like her. The same eyes, the same smile."  
  
> Yes!  
  
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Coworker  
"Her mother..."  
  
> He gazes moodily into his cup, smile fading.  
> You were right. She's definitely dead.  
  
Dojima  
"She was killed in a hit-and-run when Nanako was very small."  
  
> A hit-and-run... how horrible.  
> It's one thing to accidentally hit someone... but to run away from what you've done, unwilling to face the consequences of taking another human life... that's cowardice.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Understands You  
"I'm sorry. For you and for her-- my little sister took it really hard when my father died this past year, and she's in university. It must have been awful, losing her so young."  
  
> Dojima looks at you, surprised.  
> Adachi looks surprised, too.  
  
Adachi  
"Your father died? That's rough."  
  
Dojima  
"He was a police officer, wasn't he? Soichiro Yagami... I think I saw him in the papers a couple times."  
  
Light Yagami, Who Understands You  
"Yes."  
  
> Two birds, one stone-- you can move closer to Dojima and distance yourself from Kira at the same time. If you have Dojima-- a respected older police officer-- on your side, you'll have a lot more leverage in case something happens.  
> There are a hundred thousand ways that things could go wrong for you, and you're isolated out here. You need people on your side.  
> You tighten your grip on your drink and stare down at the bar for dramatic effect.  
  
Soichiro's Son, Light Yagami  
"He always stuck to his principles, no matter how dangerous it was. He was one of the few men on the force who had the guts to keep pursuing Kira, even when they were told to drop it. That case... Kira... killed him."  
  
> You feel an uncomfortable rush of anger pulse through your veins. You grind your teeth.  
> It's all Mello's fault. He screwed everything up.  
> Sayu...  
> Father...  
> Your family has been destroyed.  
> You're seething with rage.  
  
Soichiro's Son, Light Yagami  
"He'll pay for what he's done to my family."  
  
> Dojima puts his hand on your back.  
> You hate it when people touch you. You almost instinctively twitch away, but then you remember yourself and where you are.  
> You want him to pity you, to some extent. Light Yagami is harmless. You let him keep his hand on your back. He's trying to be comforting, after all, and you should let him.  
  
Dojima  
"That's awful. I'm so sorry, Light."  
  
> Dojima's eyes are brimming with fatherly concern.  
> He feels closer to you now. He'll be more likely to trust you and share his feelings with you. You think he has more to say about his wife's death.  
> Over his shoulder, Adachi is pretending to gag.  
  
> You end up talking with Dojima about your families for a while.  
> You try to keep Sayu out of it, like you always have. She should never have been involved. Your father, volunteered to be a part of the game. He chose to participate. You can use him as much as you like.  
> Sayu was dragged in, and you never meant her to be, and you don't want to use her unless you absolutely have to.  
> You tell him about your parents and try to keep the focus on him and his family.  
> Nanako is six years old, but she'll be seven soon. She's very responsible for her age. She has a lot of friends. She likes to read. She really is perfect... even though she lost her mother and her father's never home, she doesn't have any behavioral problems at all.  
> Once you get him started about Nanako, he just keeps talking.  
  
Dojima  
"But then the alligator _eats_ his bird friend, and-- hey!"  
  
> Suddenly, Dojima stops halfway through a story you weren't paying much attention to. He straightens up and glares at the door to the pub.  
> You look over your shoulder just in time to see Yu Narukami walking backwards out of the building, looking alarmed.  
  
Adachi  
"Oh, man."  
  
> Dojima leaps to his feet.  
  
Dojima  
"That stupid kid! I keep telling him not to wander off at night!"  
  
> He slams some money on the bar and yanks his jacket on.  
  
Dojima  
"Leaving Nanako home all by herself while he goes gallivanting around town, going to _bars_ \-- I'm sorry, Yagami, Adachi, I should head home. Nanako..."  
  
> He trails off.  
> You smile at him and wave.  
  
Light Yagami, Who Understands You  
"It's alright, Dojima-san. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
> Dojima leaves, muttering under his breath.  
> You still have not finished your disgusting scotch. You do not really want to finish it.  
> Adachi slides into Dojima's vacated seat.  
  
Adachi  
"So, you killed your own father? Did he find out you're Kira?"  
  
> He's not even bothering to keep his voice down.  
> It seems that Adachi is drunk.  
> You feel a powerful urge to pour your drink on his head. You do not do that.  
> You try to ignore him.  
> He leans against you and grins.  
> You can't ignore him.  
  
Adachi  
"Why not kill your whole family while you're at it? Just your dad seems pretty half-assed to me. If you're gonna do a thing, do it right, right?"  
  
> Your fingers twitch. You hate him. You hate him. You hate him.  
> Calm down. You shouldn't let yourself get riled up. That's what he wants.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Shut up."  
  
Adachi  
"I'm serious, though. Why just your dad? I mean, if he knew you were Kira, he probably told your mom, right? You probably _should_ have killed all of them."  
  
> Maybe you should have killed them. A mercy. Sayu can't function right now. Will she ever be able to? Would she be better off dead? Wasn't it suspicious for Kira to kill the first person kidnapped by the mafia and not the second? Did you really make the best choice for the situation or did you keep her alive because she's your sister?  
> You grit your teeth and sip your awful scotch.  
> You won't engage with him. You won't be bothered. You've been over this a thousand times already. Killing Sayu would have accomplished nothing. She will recover.  
  
Light Yagami  
"I didn't kill my father."  
  
Adachi  
"Ahh, really? I guess even Kira can be sentimental like that, huh."  
  
> He lowers his eyelashes and exhales a low smug laugh.  
  
Adachi  
"Heh. That's good to know."  
  
> Adachi knows you care about your family. He could find them. He could find your sister without too much trouble. It would be so easy-- _hi, this is Detective Tohru Adachi with the Inaba police department, I'm looking for a Ms. Yagami?_  
> Your stomach twists at the thought.  
  
Adachi  
"Sort of stupid to keep people alive if you don't want anything bad to happen to them, isn't it? I mean, that's all being alive is, is bad things happening to you. Aren't they safest if they're dead? Alive, well... someone _else_ might do the job for you."  
  
> Before you can stop yourself, you're on your feet with a fistful of Adachi's shirt in a white-knuckled grip, teeth bared in a half-snarl.  
> He looks completely unfazed. He just keeps grinning at you, sharp and smug.  
  
Adachi  
"Are you really gonna hit me in front of all these people?"  
  
> There are people looking at you.  
> You are in public.  
> You cannot lose your temper in public, not like this.  
  
Shiroku Hostess  
"Hey, no fighting in here, boys."  
  
> Shit.  
> You plaster a smile on your face.  
  
Light Yagami, VERY NORMAL AND FINE  
"Oh, we're not fighting. I'm just going to take Adachi-san home, he's had a little too much to drink."  
  
> You drag him out of the pub by the front of his shirt and shove him into the street.  
> It's raining a little bit.  
> He staggers back, still grinning.  
  
Adachi  
"Wow, you think you're a real alpha-male type, don'tcha?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"If you ever threaten my family again--"  
  
Adachi  
"Hey, who's threatening who? You're the one who's assaulting an officer of the law, here."  
  
> He steps closer to you and shoves his hands in his pockets.  
  
Adachi  
"C'mon, you really need to lighten up."  
  
> He inhales, then his eyes flick away from you and he stops, looking at something down the street.  
> All the sharpness in his face vanishes, replaced with the smoothed-over emptiness he puts on around everyone else.  
> He raises his voice.  
  
Adachi  
"Well, I'm going home."  
  
> He turns and just leaves.  
> You think you know what he saw before you look...  
> Yeah. Yu Narukami is peering up over the stone wall that surrounds the tofu place. There's leaves in his hair. You think he must have leapt into the hedges when Dojima saw him.  
> You hope he didn't hear you snarling at Adachi.  
> You raise your voice and call out to him, putting your hands in your pockets.  
  
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Policeman  
"Narukami, I know you're over there."  
  
> There's a long pause, and then Narukami stands up. He vaults easily over the wall and lands on his feet, then brushes dirt off his clothes and walks over to you.  
> He's more athletic than he looks...  
> You wonder what he's doing out so late. Based on what you've seen, and what Dojima told you, you don't think he was actually here to drink. He doesn't seem the type.  
  
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Policeman  
"Your uncle's pretty upset with you. What're you doing out so late?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"I wash dishes here part-time."  
  
> He nods at the pub, then pulls a crumpled plastic bag out of the pocket of his school uniform pants.  
> Drugs...?  
> !?  
> On closer inspection, the bag appears to be full of bugs!  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Also, you can only feed the fish at night."  
  
> ...  
> Several things seem off about this.  
> What kind of fish can you only feed at night? You suppose it wasn't there during the day, but surely it's still _there,_ just in a back room or something. Is it a nocturnal fish? Does such a thing exist? Also, just because it only eats at night, he came here with a bag full of bugs? Why? He didn't say that feeding the fish was part of his job. They were two separate things.  
> Not that it matters.  
> Does it matter? Is this relevant to the case in some way? Probably not, but it's difficult to know what things you can dismiss out of hand in this town...  
  
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Policeman  
"The fish...?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"His name's Akihiko."  
  
> .............................  
> Why does he think you wanted to know what the fish's _name_ is? It's not like it's a dog or anything else that responds to its name.  
> You can't help sighing.  
  
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Policeman  
"I'm not your uncle, so I suppose I can't stop you..."  
  
> He breathes a sigh of relief and smiles.  
> You're not sure you're convinced that this kid is actually just here to feed the fish and wash dishes. When you saw him here last time, he was buying beads... you think he's up to something.  
> He walks confidently through the sliding doors into the pub. He must come here a lot, if he's seriously not nervous.  
> You sit back down at the bar and pretend to sip your scotch.  
> Narukami waves cheerfully at the hostess. When she walks over, they chat for a moment and then he hands her a grasshopper from his bag of insects. Apparently this is normal. She doesn't seem bothered.  
> She takes it cheerfully, then drops it into the fishtank, beaming at the enormous hideous fish like it's an adorable pet.  
> Then she reaches under the bar and hands Narukami a plastic bag full of breadcrumbs, chatting cheerfully all the while.  
> You rest your elbows on the bar and prop your chin up on your hand. He seems very enthusiastic about the breadcrumbs. She puts her hands together and beams at him.  
> With the fish fed and the breadcrumbs shoved in his pocket, he comes over to you, all awkward and hopeful and creepy.  
> He sits down next to you without asking and leans on the bar, staring at you.  
  
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Policeman  
"Shouldn't you be heading home now?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"I'm not tired yet."  
  
> It seems that Narukami wants to spend time with you.  
> You don't think you'll be able to avoid him or maintain a polite distance. He's very determined.  
> You decide to make the best of the situation; while he's pestering you, you can push him into telling you what he and his friends are up to, and get him to tell you what he knows about the murders.  
> You shift so you're facing him, and keep your tone conversational.  
  
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Policeman  
"You stay up late a lot?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Mm. I have a few part-time jobs that I do at night besides dishwashing, and homework, and books to read, and..."  
  
> He trails off and shrugs. He seems unsure of what to do with his hands. He fidgets and combs his hands through his ugly haircut.  
> A couple of part-time jobs... he doesn't seem like he's bragging. He doesn't think of himself as an overachiever, even if he is one. He's not arrogant at all, and somehow you find that very grating.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"You seem to be getting along with Dojima and Adachi-san."  
  
> So he didn't hear your interaction with Adachi. That's good.  
> You sip your drink and you don't miss the way his eyes catch on your mouth.  
> You smile at him. Soft. Eyes crinkled.  
> It's different, but he knows you've been drinking. He'll think you were just being polite before, and this is a more real version of you.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"I think so. Though admittedly I find Dojima-san very difficult to read."  
  
Yu Narukami  
"He likes you."  
  
> He pauses. You let the silence stretch out, with his eyes flicking from your face to your hands to your loosened tie.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"I like you, too."  
  
> He doesn't look embarrassed at all, just honest. He's very straightforward, in a strange way.  
> You snort. You can't help it.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"You don't know anything about me."  
  
Yu Narukami  
"So tell me something."  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"Like what?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Like..."  
  
> He pauses thoughtfully, staring off into space for a moment, tapping his long fingers on the bar.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Tell me about your sister."  
  
Light Yagami  
"My sister?"  
  
Yu Narukami  
"You said I reminded you of your younger sister when we met."  
  
> You did say that, didn't you.  
> You do not want to tell him about your sister, but you have to now.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"Her name's Sayu. She's twenty years old. She's a university student. She was studying journalism, but she's switched to studying law. She's trying to get accepted into law school early, but her grades might not be good enough."  
  
> You don't mean to, but you end up talking about Sayu a lot. Once you start, it's difficult to stop. How embarrassing.  
> Narukami doesn't say much, but he's clearly listening intently to every word that comes out of your mouth.  
  
Sayu's Older Brother  
"I haven't seen her in a while. Not since we saved her, actually, it's--"  
  
> Shit.  
> You stop midsentence, frozen, and Narukami takes this as an opportunity to prompt you for further details.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Saved her?"  
  
> You've gone and done it now. You hide your frown in your hand and look away. You didn't mean to tell anyone.  
> It seems you've lost control of this conversation somewhat.  
  
Light Yagami  
"She was kidnapped by the American mafia a few months ago. My father had to negotiate her release."  
  
> Narukami's eyes go very wide.  
> He clearly doesn't know what to say.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Is she okay?"  
  
Light Yagami  
"...Not really."  
  
> You both sit in awkward silence for a long time. There's no way to change the subject elegantly, here.  
> If you wait long enough, hopefully he'll change it for you...?  
  
Yu Narukami  
"You don't talk about this much, do you?"  
  
> Not only does he not change the subject, but he's looking at you with a strange perceptive look.  
> You feel...  
> You feel chains wrapped around your wrist.  
> You feel like he can see right through you.  
> But of course he can't. Pull yourself together... he's nothing like L, except in that he's extremely strange.  
  
Light Yagami  
"No, I don't."  
  
> He smiles at you, then, and not very subtly presses against your side.  
> Ugh.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"I'm glad you told me."  
  
> You lean away and pretend you didn't notice him leaning on you.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"Please don't tell anyone. I don't like people talking about her behind her back."  
  
> He keeps smiling at you.  
> You wish he would stop doing that.  
> It seems he admires how protective you are of your sister, probably because of his relationship with Nanako.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Of course."  
  
> ...  
> He's a terrible liar.  
> He is definitely going to tell at least Dojima, and there's nothing you can do to stop him. Shit. He'll probably tell his obnoxious squad, too.  
> To dispel the tension coiling between your shoulders, you allow yourself to fantasize for a moment about breaking your glass and cutting his throat.  
> Not that you would, of course-- he hasn't done anything wrong-- but it relaxes you a bit to think about it.  
> You pretend to be relieved and grateful.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"Thanks."  
  
> It seems that you've successfully convinced Yu Narukami that you trust him.  
> Hopefully this means he trusts you.  
> You need to push him into talking about himself.  
> You leave a comfortable pause, long enough to establish that you're done with that topic of conversation, then speak up again.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"How did your important meeting in the electronics department go?"  
  
> You keep your tone light and joking, so you don't sound like you're fishing for anything.  
> Narukami fixes his eyes on the drink in your hand, to avoid eye contant, and clears his throat loudly.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Not very good."  
  
> You raise your eyebrows at him.  
> He looks at you for a long moment, then leans in and lowers his voice.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, have you heard about the Midnight Channel?"  
  
> This again?  
> The electronics department... maybe there's something special about the Midnight Channel in Junes? Is it different depending on your location? The size of the TV?  
> How is it related to any of this? It has to be related somehow.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"Shirogane said he was investigating something to do with it."  
  
> Something in Narukami's face lights up. A flicker of recognition.  
> You are on the right track, then.  
> He starts spinning some obvious stupid lies, because you pushed him too far, and you listen to them with a look of patient amusement.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"My friends really like ghost stories, so we've been investigating the Midnight Channel in various locations around town. Naoto-kun said he would join us, but we haven't heard from him since the other day."  
  
Yu Narukami  
"We made plans to meet up, since it's raining, but he didn't show. That's why we were looking for him earlier."  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"Rise sounded pretty worried over the phone."  
  
> You don't press any further. Just enough that he knows you know he's lying and that you're choosing to let him lie to you.  
> He has the grace to look a little bit guilty, a little bit embarrassed.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Everyone's on edge because of the murders."  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"You know, Yu..."  
  
> The sound of his given name makes his eyes widen.  
  
Light Yagami  
"If there's ever anything worrying you, you can talk to me. I'm a police officer, it's my job to help you and keep you safe."  
  
> The way he looks at you, then, makes the corners of your mouth twitch.  
> Not just like a teenager with a stupid crush-- it's that, too-- but like he desperately wants to trust you. He believes you. Everything he wants to tell he's holding in with the breath he won't let go-- he's not breathing, like he's afraid if he breathes he'll spill the secret he's undoubtedly promised to keep.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"Thank you, Yagami-san."  
  
> He won't tell you now, but he will tell you eventually.  
> You glance briefly down at your watch. It's well past eleven.  
  
Light Yagami, Not That Much Older Than You  
"It's getting late. I think both of us should head home."  
  
> He looks reluctant.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"You haven't finished your drink."  
  
> You glance at your half-finished scotch, then back up at him.  
> You wonder if he'd drink it if you gave it to him.  
> You lower your voice to a teasing conspiratiorial murmur.  
  
Light Yagami  
"Do you want to finish it for me?"  
  
> You hold it out to him. He looks thoroughly surprised.  
> Narukami summons all his **Courage** and takes the glass from you.  
> He downs the whole thing in one go!  
> That's certainly not what you expected him to do. You thought he'd take a sip and grimace, then maybe try to drink the rest to impress you.  
> He sets the glass down on the bar and stares at it, expression completely and peculiarly blank even as he shudders.  
  
Yu Narukami  
"That was really horrible."  
  
> You laugh. It's an honest laugh, and it comes out slightly too sharp as a result, but Narukami doesn't seem to notice.  
> Before you leave, he gives you his phone number and tells you to text him so he'll have yours "just in case anything comes up."  
> You're surprised he didn't just take your number from Rise. It's what Rise would have done.  
> You go back to the Amagi Inn.  
  
**> The Amagi Inn...**  
  
> It's raining again, so you half sit up on your futon and gaze at the television as midnight approaches.  
> At 11:58 PM, your mother calls you.  
> You're too startled to ignore it; you've answered the phone without thinking, irritation swirling with anxiety. What went wrong? What now? Has Near done something? Has Mello come back? Has something happened to Sayu?  
  
Light Yagami  
"Mother? Is everything alright?"  
  
> But it's not your mother.  
> You freeze up.  
  
Sayu  
"Hey... it's me."  
  
> Your sister's voice is small and ragged, in a way you've never heard before. She doesn't sound like you'd imagined she would. You thought she would sound... crazier.  
> You thought there would be something different, something _wrong,_ but it's your sister's voice after all.  
> You haven't spoken to her in months. Has she spoken at all...? You can't remember. Maybe she has been speaking, just not to you. What was the last thing your mother told you about Sayu? You can't remember that either. You know she's been telling you things, but none of it has stuck in your mind at all.  
> It takes active effort to unfreeze yourself. You consciously make yourself blink, and breathe, and speak.  
  
Light  
"Sayu. Hey."  
  
> She inhales loudly, shakily, and exhales just as loudly. It sounds like it takes an enormous amount of effort.  
  
Sayu  
"I borrowed mom's phone. Since mine's... you know."  
  
> Words stick in your throat.  
> Who are you with her?  
> Not with her and your parents and Misa, but with her. Your sister.  
> You have a dim sense memory of hair ruffling under your hand, of getting smacked in the chin wrestling for the remote, but it feels empty. There's no context for it. There's nothing useful about it.  
> There's nothing you want from her. There's no goal. It's just Sayu, on the phone.  
> You have no plan for this. No map of this conversation. This interaction isn't something you expected. You didn't think she'd be well enough to talk at all for a while, and... honestly?  
> It just didn't occur to you that she might talk to you. The thought didn't cross your mind. Now she's on the other side of the phone, and you don't know what to do.  
  
Light  
"Yeah."  
  
> You need to say more than that.  
> You need to fix her. You need to fix this.  
> You cannot do that.  
  
Light  
"Are you... is everything... okay?"  
  
> That was the wrong thing to say. Of course it's not okay.  
> You can't afford to do anything wrong. Can you? You can't remember.  
> She laughs, just a little bit, because everything is so obviously not okay and you said something stupid.  
  
Sayu  
"Mom's being really nice. She hovers a lot, though."  
  
> You say nothing. You should say something, but you don't. Who are you with her?  
  
Sayu  
"Sorry to call so late, I didn't mean to send you into... you know... crisis mode. I just, uh."  
  
> She clears her throat, and when she continues she sounds like she's about to cry.  
  
Sayu  
"I missed you?"  
  
> .............................................................  
  
Light  
"I missed you, too."  
  
> You feel raw and uncomfortable and entirely unprepared for this conversation.  
> The silence is heavy, loaded with the awkward mutual knowledge that neither of you have ever been the type to talk about your feelings. You don't have any practice. You don't know if you should try to start now, or if you should try to be normal. You don't know what that is any more.  
  
Sayu  
"Are _you_ okay?"  
  
Light  
"Me? Of course I'm okay."  
  
Sayu  
"Are you sure?"  
  
> Your chest constricts.  
> What did you do wrong? Is your voice too soft, too hard, too-- too-- you don't remember what your voice is supposed to sound like. You don't remember what you're supposed to be doing.  
  
Light  
"I'm as okay as can be expected, given the circumstances."  
  
Sayu  
"...mm."  
  
> Who are you supposed to be right now?  
  
Sayu  
"I heard the case was closed before you got there, but you're working on it anyway."  
  
> She does not say _murder._ Maybe you shouldn't, either. You feel like someone very abruptly thrust a delicate glass object into your hands. Any wrong movement could shatter the whole thing.  
> You swalllow-- your mouth is strangely dry-- and try to say something. Anything. Participate in this conversation.  
  
Light  
"It's not actually closed. The culprit they have in custody is-- they haven't got the whole picture. The real killer..."  
  
> The image of Saki Konishi pops into your mind, unbidden.  
> Kidnapped and murdered. She must have been so scared. You wonder if she cried-- you conclude immediately that she almost certainly did, and died terrified. Adachi probably liked that.  
> You try to put that thought away.  
  
Light  
"I'm going to catch him."  
  
Sayu  
"I know you are."  
  
> She says this with warm sarcastic confidence-- _yeah, yeah, my perfect big brother, here to save the day._  
> You feel very far away from her right now.  
  
Sayu  
"I actually-- sort of related to that, but not-- not really-- uh--"  
  
> She clears her throat and proceeds slowly, carefully, like she's practiced this part.  
  
Sayu  
"When dad was shot... Matsuda-san told me at the funeral that... they were raiding a mafia hideout, and the whole building blew up... and he wouldn't say anything else. Mom said she doesn't know anything about it, but I knew you would, so... I wanted to know..."  
  
> You hear another one of those shaky loud breaths, in and out.  
  
Sayu  
"Is he... is Mello dead?"  
  
> Your entire body stiffens.  
  
KIRA  
"Who told you that name?"  
  
Sayu  
"That's what they called him."  
  
> She knows who he is. They called him-- she was in the room with him, she saw him.  
  
KIRA  
" _Did you see his face?_ "  
  
Sayu  
"...Yeah."  
  
> If she saw his face-- you have the name, all you need is the face, then you can put his name down and get rid of that miserable little--  
  
Sayu  
"Hey, Light? Can you just... be my brother for a minute, and not..."  
  
> She trails off.  
> Not Kira, you think.  
> She means _not a cop._ Not your father.  
  
Light  
"Of course. I'm sorry."  
  
Light  
"He blew up the building while he was still inside of it. We didn't find a body, but we also found no sign of him turning up at any hospitals or clinics in the area, so... he might be dead, or he might not be. It's impossible to say."  
  
> Sayu is quiet for a long time.  
> Is she disappointed? Frightened? Maybe you should have lied to her. Maybe you should have told her he's dead. Now she'll worry he'll come back. What if you ruined her progress? What if she's shattering again?  
> Should you tell her you'll kill him? Is that too morbid? You _will_ kill him, though, and you will do it painfully now you know he might have actually laid hands on _your sister_.  
> You shouldn't talk too much about such things, you think. She's delicate, after all. Even if she's the one who brought it up.  
  
Sayu  
"I hope he's okay."  
  
> You're glad she's not here. A conflicted tangle of emotion whirls through you, and you feel your facial expression twist into something no one ought to see, ugly shock and revulsion and confusion.  
> You can't say anything at all. You feel a few things bubble up in the back of your throat and then die. Exasperated shouting. Accusations of Stockholm Syndrome. A hysterical laugh.  
> You are completely silent.  
  
Sayu  
"I guess that's kinda crazy, huh? But the more I think about it... now that I _can_ think about it... I don't know..."  
  
> She inhales deeply and sighs. Her voice is still shaky, but you can hear a familiar strength underneath the trembling surface.  
  
Sayu  
"I keep thinking how young he was. Like... the same age as me, maybe. It's like... he's just a person, made desperate by his circumstances. That's all most of the criminals Kira kills are. It's just... circumstances."  
  
Sayu  
"Not that... I mean... he did terrible things, I know that. It's not like I want to be his BFF or whatever, I just don't... want him to die. I don't want anybody to die."  
  
> At this last, her voice cracks, and she actually does burst into tears.  
> You are frozen and unable to speak.  
> You hear exactly three sobs before she's shuddering in breaths and pulling herself together.  
> She laughs feebly at herself, apparently embarrassed.  
  
Sayu  
"Sorry."  
  
> You want to tell her not to apologize, but you can't say anything.  
> Your silence feels incredibly inappropriate. It reveals too much. She'll know you don't know what to say, if you keep not saying anything.  
> You hear a faint rustle-- maybe a shift of fabric, or Sayu running a hand through her hair. A soft distant voice.  
  
Sayu  
"I'm okay, mom."  
  
> She sounds tired, like she's said it a thousand times.  
> Then she sighs. It would be an exasperated sigh, if she had the energy to be exasperated.  
  
Sayu  
"Before, I thought maybe if I experienced something awful, then I would understand how Kira felt, but I still can't. I can't imagine wanting someone to die... I don't get it at all. So many of my classmates want to be prosecutors because of Kira. It's like they want to offer people up to him to die. It's really horrible, Light."  
  
> Her voice goes up a notch, almost a plea, a question, and you need to say something.  
  
Light  
"People can be really horrible, Sayu. That's why it's our job to be better than everybody else."  
  
> She huffs out a soft laugh.  
  
Light  
"You shouldn't think about all that right now, anyway. You have to focus on--"  
  
Sayu  
"Don't say I have to focus on my recovery or I'll slap you."  
  
> You laugh.  
  
Light  
"You do have to focus on your recovery, though."  
  
Sayu  
"Whatever, Light. I'll change the subject like you obviously want me to. How's Inaba?"  
  
> The two of you chat about Inaba for a while...  
> You're not sure you're acting the way you're supposed to, but talking to you still seems to cheer her up a bit. You feel tentatively good about that, though you're still not entirely sure you've been acting the way you're supposed to.  
> She doesn't say anything about you being strange, except for at the end, when you've said your good-nights and you're about to hang up.  
  
Sayu  
"Hey, Light?"  
  
Light  
"Hm?"  
  
Sayu  
"Take care of yourself, okay?"  
  
Light  
"Of course."  
  
> She makes a small worried sound, and then hangs up on you.  
> You talked for a long time... it's well past midnight now. If there was anything on the Midnight Channel tonight, you missed it. It probably wasn't anything important, anyway, but you're still annoyed.  
> You'll have to check again next time it's raining.  
> After talking to your sister, you feel disoriented and off-balance. You lie down flat on your back, fully clothed, and stare at the ceiling.  
> You're not even sure if you're bored or not. You think, most likely, you are. You feel an itch in your hands, an unsettled restlessness that you can't shake no matter how much you flex your fingers. You need something to do.  
> Sneaking around in the middle of the night seems like a bad idea. You'll look suspicious. Maybe once you've built up more trust around town, you can go out, but for now you should stay here.  
> You turn on the news and half-listen to replays of Takada's messages from Kira. Her cool steady murmur washes over you, almost soothing in its familiarity.  
> How long will it take for Naoto Shirogane to reappear, dead or alive?  
  
Light Yagami  
"Ugh."  
  
> You weren't always so impatient.  
> But it's difficult not to feel antsy, when so much is out of your control. Even the Death Note is out of your hands now. You've set things in motion, and they'll play out how they'll play out, but you don't like being so distanced from it all.  
> You fiddle with your phone.  
> Rise sent you another selfie earlier. She's drenched from the rain, with a towel resting on her head and a bright crooked smile on her face.  
> You really don't know what she thinks you're going to do with these.  
> You pull Narukami's phone number out of your pocket. His handwriting is good. Better than most teenagers', anyway.  
> You add him as a contact, then stare at your phone's screen for a while, considering.  
> About a hundred things you could do just to mess with him flicker through your mind, none of them worth actually considering. You shouldn't do anything to him that would jeopardize his trust, not before he's told you what you want to know.  
  
Light Yagami  
This is Yagami. Now you have my number.  
  
> Your thumb hovers over send, but then you reconsider.  
  
Light Yagami  
This is Yagami. Now you have my number. :)  
  
> There. You send that. Innocuous, harmless, but it'll send him into a teenage overthinking spiral and he'll probably spend at least an hour trying to figure out what it _means._  
> You wonder if he'll ask you about it. He's oddly straightforward. Is he the type to fixate on small things like that for days on end, or will he be briefly flustered and let it go?  
> You decide to go to bed.  
> His whole crew will still be looking for Shirogane tomorrow. You ought to be able to shake off Adachi for at least a little while and offer to help them. Even if they turn you down, you can just follow them. They're easy to find, since they can't seem to stop shouting at each other all the time.  
> One way or another, you'll make progress tomorrow.


	6. the glory of the Lord shall be revealed

**> The Amagi Inn...**

  
   
> You wake up with a text from Narukami, sent in the middle of the night.  
   
Yu Narukami  
I'll use it wisely! :) :)  
   
> You don't bother responding.  
> Everything is totally normal as you get ready for the day, until you very suddenly think about Sayu.  
> Her voice was so shaky...  
> She was so...  
   
Sayu  
"I don't want anyone to die."  
   
> You shrug away an involuntary shudder.  
> Being kidnapped is a traumatizing experience.  
> Rise does not seem particularly traumatized. Neither do any of Narukami's other friends. Quite the opposite, really. If your theory is correct-- and it almost certainly is-- then why are they so casual?  
> You feel a flicker of entirely irrational anger. Why are _they_ fine, and your sister is on medical leave? It's not fair. Sayu is _broken,_ and those obnoxious shouty children are still running around like nothing happened.  
> You remember you thought perhaps the reason they hadn't accused Adachi was because they didn't see him. Perhaps instead they don't _remember_ seeing him. If they don't remember the trauma, they can't be particularly troubled by it.  
> Maybe Adachi's power-- whatever it is-- wiped their memories?  
> An untraceable murder method that doesn't always succeed, but when it fails the victims' memories of the attempt are erased... something like that sounds very convenient. Maybe too convenient: if they had no memory of the incidents, after all, why would they have banded together to do their little junior investigation?  
> Could it be like the Death Note? A selective memory erasure, only wiping their memories of Adachi specifically...?  
> What else would there be to remember besides Adachi's face? The place he took them to when he kidnapped them? They haven't told the police anything like that...  
> If they remember the place they were taken, but didn't tell the police anything about it, it must be because the place they were taken to is somehow supernatural.  
> You know that there is something supernatural going on. Adachi has some kind of power, which he uses to kill people. This power must be what allows him to kill without a cause of death and without any kind of evidence.  
> Remembering that someone tried to kill you but not remembering anything about them seems impossible. They would at least have some basic description, surely, and they could have given that information to the police without worrying.  
> When he kidnaps people, he has to take them somewhere...  
> If they remember being kidnapped, but nothing about their kidnapper, surely they remember something about where they were taken. Something they won't share with the police.  
> A supernatural location...  
> You remember that Narukami and his friends spend a lot of time at Junes...  
> Adachi is probably not kidnapping people and taking them to a department store, though.  
> That would be stupid.  
> You remember that there's a shrine in town... that seems like a good place to start looking for supernatural locations.  
 

**> Inaba Police Station...**

  
   
> You're stuck at work all day.  
> Still no Shirogane, and Adachi and Dojima are busy, so you spend the day doing busywork uninterrupted. You make bland friendly chitchat with a few of your coworkers, and pick up some of the work they don't want to do.  
> It's rather novel, having an actual job. You've never had that before. The novelty factor, and the fact that these people are all woefully incompetent, keeps you from being too bored despite how almost painfully mundane everything is here.  
> You are occasionally distracted throughout the day by the buzz of your phone in your pocket, because Rise will not stop sending you selfies.  
> She sent you one first thing in the morning, and then another one when she got to school, and another one on her lunch break, and now yet another one.  
> Good thing you have a good data plan, otherwise you'd be very annoyed. Instead, you're just sort of exasperated.  
> This latest one is definitely the strangest so far. Rise's got her arm hooked around Narukami's neck and absolutely beaming. Narukami's hunched over, slightly blurry, and looks halfway between alarmed and awkwardly smiling.  
> They are both wearing gag glasses... the kind with the large nose and the mustache and the oversized swirly lenses. You didn't think those were real, outside of romcoms and old cartoons.  
> In the background of the picture you can see some of Narukami's other friends. From what you can see, they are all wearing the glasses. Yukiko is a barely-recognizable red blur.  
> They appear to be all standing around in the electronics department of Junes, wearing stupid glasses.  
   
Rise  
#squad!!!! ᕦ(= 3=)ᕤ  
   
Light Yagami  
I feel like I'm missing several key pieces of context, here.  
   
Rise  
all u need to know is...... we r cute (￣▽￣)b  
   
Light Yagami  
But why are you cute in a department store?  
   
Rise  
it's haunted! gtg ghostbusting!!  
   
> Whatever they're up to in relation to the murders, it apparently involves putting on gag accessories in the electronics department at Junes.  
> Maybe you were wrong, and they don't actually know anything about what's going on. Maybe they really are just a bunch of stupid kids pretending to be detectives, playing dressup after school.  
> You squint at the photo. Does Narukami have a sword? There's something at his hip that appears to be the grip of a sword.  
> You remember that Dojima and Adachi mentioned something about LARPing a while ago. Perhaps that's it... but why would they be LARPing in the electronics department at Junes?  
> The Midnight Channel is viewed on a TV... but it's daytime right now.  
   
Adachi  
"Is that Risette?"  
   
> You jump. While you're startled, Adachi yanks your phone out of your hands and scrolls through your texts from Rise!  
> Shit.  
   
Adachi  
"Oh, shit! Look at all these exclusive pics!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Give that back right now."  
   
> He doesn't give it back.  
> Instead, he leans against his desk and gives you a look like he _knows_ you. Like you're the same.  
   
Adachi  
"I knew you were a player. Working the protective older brother angle really gets you places, huh? You and Narukami both."  
   
> You jump to your feet and grab for your phone, but he jerks away just in time.  
> What should you do...? There are people around. You can't just wrestle it out of his hands.  
> He keeps scrolling through your phone...  
   
Adachi  
"Man, are these seriously all G-rated? You're not holding out on me, are you?"  
   
> Your hands clench into fists. Your fingernails dig hard into your palms. You want to hit him.  
> Why can't you just _kill him?_ He's disgusting. He's the worst kind of person.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Give me my phone back, or I swear--"  
   
Adachi  
"What, you'll hit me? How're you gonna explain that to Dojima-san?"  
   
Adachi  
"'Boss, he found my secret stash of private Risette selfies! What was I supposed to do, _not_ hit him?'"  
   
Adachi  
"You're gonna stand there like a good little honor student while I email these to myself, and there's nothing you can do about it. Unless, you know, you don't mind me telling everyone you have an inappropriate relationship with Rise-chan."  
   
> Adachi is grinning at you.  
> You're about to tell him that no one will believe him, but you stop yourself. They will believe him, he has proof. The pictures aren't inappropriate, but it's enough to get you in trouble anyway. > He doesn't need a wealth of evidence to convict you in people's minds, and that's what matters. You wouldn't necessarily lose your job, but you would lose all ability to do your job. Your reputation would be ruined. No one would trust you. You would never be able to put Adachi in prison. Near would use it against you. Takada would be pissed.  
> It seems that there really is nothing you can do. As long as Adachi has your phone in his hand, you are at a huge disadvantage.  
> Adachi has the upper hand in this situation...  
> By letting Rise open up to you, you have inadvertently put her in a dangerous and extremely distasteful position.  
   
Adachi  
"Hahaha, your _face._ Come on, where's that trademark high-and-mighty attitude, Kira? No posturing about your _divine_ _wrath?_ "  
   
> Shit.  
> You have to calm down. For now, all you can do is wait for him to give you your phone back. Once you have it back, you can delete anything incriminating off it, and Adachi won't be able to do anything to you then.  
> You cross your arms over your chest and smooth your facial expression to something mild and neutral.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Are you really gloating about stealing pictures of a fifteen-year-old for jackoff material? That's so pathetic I almost feel sorry for you."  
   
> He looks a little annoyed, like you're trying to spoil his fun.  
   
Adachi  
"She's sixteen. Her birthday's in June."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Either way, she's a child."  
   
Adachi  
"Don't be dramatic. She's adult enough to get paid to take her clothes off on TV."  
   
Light Yagami  
"She hates doing that."  
   
Adachi  
"Oh _, please._ Girls only say that so people won't think they're sluts. She still _did it,_ didn't she? You don't exactly get to take the moral high ground here, champ. They're your pictures. What're _you_ doing with them?"  
   
> You can't help scowling. He's too unpleasant.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not doing anything with them, because I'm not a reprehensible human being."  
   
Adachi  
"What, like _me?_ You better check your glass house before you go throwing those kinds of stones, champ. You're the one who's killed like a hundred thousand people. You're about as reprehensible as it gets."  
   
> You know Adachi doesn't really believe that.  
> He's a murderer himself, after all. He's just trying to bother you.  
> You shouldn't let him provoke you, but... it's difficult.  
> He's the worst kind of person.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't hurt teenage girls."  
   
> Adachi wrinkles his nose in disgust.  
   
Adachi  
"Ugh, _seriously_? You're one of those guys who thinks girls never do anything wrong, aren't you? As though a girl's _never_ committed a crime. You're so full of shit. You've killed dozens of girls just like Saki Konishi."  
   
> You flinch involuntarily.  
> He's wrong...  
> He doesn't know anything about you.  
   
Adachi  
"You really think you're so much better than me?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"I _know_ I'm better than you."  
   
Adachi  
"It's actually almost impressive how delusional you are, Yagami-san. If I am who you say I am, wouldn't that make me an even better killer than Kira? Since you have no evidence whatsoever, no motive, and you can't even say how I supposedly killed them."  
   
> Adachi takes a step closer and dangles your phone between his thumb and forefinger, the way Ryuzaki might have done.  
   
Adachi  
"Kira, on the other hand? That guy leaves evidence all over the place. I mean, it took L about a week to narrow the suspect list down to about eight people. Kira's pretty clumsy. Much clumsier than our serial murderer here in town. I mean, all we've got on Mitsuo Kubo is a confession, and he won't say how he did it."  
   
Adachi  
"So, Yagami-san, if I'm the culprit and you're Kira... you know, _hypothetically._ In that scenario, in what way are you better than me, exactly?"  
   
> You snatch your phone out of his hand and shove it into your pocket.  
> Just looking at him makes you sick.  
> You struggle to keep your face arranged properly...  
> You're grinding your teeth...  
> He's trying to provoke you. You shouldn't let him.  
   
KIRA  
"Kira has a strong moral compass. He prioritizes, or believes he prioritizes, _justice_ above all else. He considers himself an eradicator of evil. The pattern of the Kira murders gives us a fairly easy to determine definition of what a person must do to deserve a death sentence."  
   
KIRA  
"Given this pattern and the utilization of spokespeople, it's clear that Kira does not seek to inspire fear, but rather cultivate a sense of safety and rightmindedness in society. Kira kills because he believes it is necessary in order to solve the problems he sees in the world around him. He believes it is his _duty._ "  
   
KIRA  
"The serial murderer in Inaba, on the other hand, is impulsive. The victims have little to connect them to each other beyond perhaps social vulnerability-- a disgraced woman in hiding, an economically disadvantaged teenager, an unpopular high school teacher-- and only tangental relationships to each other, so we know the killer isn't especially methodical. He's not targeting a specific body type, or criminals, or anything like that: he's just killing who he can get to. Like a predator low on the food chain might pick off a limping old prey animal, too weak to fight back and too far from its herd for them to protect it."  
   
KIRA  
"The way the bodies are publicly displayed suggests a desire to cause chaos in addition to a desire for attention-- he wants people to be confused and frightened by his crimes. It's highly probable that the culprit kills because he finds it entertaining."  
   
KIRA  
"Kira, in other circumstances, could have been an upstanding member of society. Intelligent, ambitious, and dedicated to improving the state of justice in the world. The culprit in these murders is nothing more than a sadistic coward. He's a despicable lowlife who's desperate for attention but too boring to get it without killing anyone."  
   
> Adachi is looking at you.  
> His expression is flat and unamused.  
   
Adachi  
"..."  
   
Adachi  
"Are you done verbally jacking off, or should I give you another minute?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"What?"  
   
> He laughs lightly and slouches back, melting easily into his bland nonthreatening smile.  
   
Adachi  
"I mean, wow! You really have a mouth on you. Didn't anyone ever tell you it's unattractive to talk too much?"  
   
> You exhale a long slow breath through your teeth and smile back.  
> Your smile is definitely more brittle than Adachi's.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I didn't think you would put much thought into which of my character traits you find attractive. How flattering."  
   
> Adachi looks at you with disdain.  
> It seems he's not even going to dignify that with a response.  
> You take that as a small victory.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Was there something you needed, or were you just snooping for the sake of snooping?"  
   
Adachi  
"Nah, I got what I needed."  
   
> You feel your face twitch a little bit when he smirks at you.  
> You're not sure you've ever felt so viscerally disgusted by another human being.  
> You hated L enormously, but you weren't repulsed by him. When he got under your skin, you didn't feel the urge to scrub it all off.  
> You sit back down at your desk and get back to the work that Rise distracted you from in the first place.  
> It's difficult to focus with Adachi sitting at his desk next to you, though...  
> Even when he's not saying anything, his presence is uncomfortable. He taps his pen on his desk while he plays solitaire on his work computer. The tapping noise is distracting, and so is the fact that Adachi is extremely bad at solitaire.  
> You stare determinedly at the notes you found on Mitsuo Kubo, but your mind wanders.  
> Adachi stole those pictures of Rise, and you have to fix that as soon as possible. You owe her that much.  
 

**> Assignment 03: Erase Adachi's Data**

  
   
> When you're done with work, you want to head into town. You want to trace and possibly tap Adachi's cellphone, investigate the electronics department at Junes, visit the shrine in the shopping district, and try to track down Narukami's friends to see what they're doing.  
> But before you can leave, Dojima catches you by the arm.  
> He looks tired and frazzled, though he's obviously trying hard not to.  
   
Dojima  
"Yagami, I wonder if I could ask a favor."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Accommodating and Trustworthy Co-Worker  
"Of course, Dojima-san. What can I do for you?"  
   
Dojima  
"I'm going to be working late tonight, and... if you're available, do you think you could keep an eye on Nanako for a few hours? I hate to ask-- usually Yu would be around-- but... "  
   
> His face winces into a reluctant grimace.  
   
Dojima  
"Honestly, I feel like someone ought to be keeping an eye on him, too. Especially if he's sneaking out to bars when he's supposed to be home. It's easy to forget, but... he's just a kid, too."  
   
> Dojima wants you to babysit Nanako and Yu Narukami.  
> Even though the two of you just met, he already trusts you to this extent...  
> It seems that Dojima is a little bit desperate.  
> You had plans, but...  
> Nanako... you do actually want to spend more time with her. Her purity of spirit would be a pleasant respite from Adachi's fidgety unpleasant presence.  
> Also, you'll be able to talk to Narukami about the murders and what he's been up to. Investigating his home can't hurt, either.  
   
Dojima  
"If you're busy--"  
   
Light Yagami, Your Accommodating and Trustworthy Coworker  
"No, no, I'm happy to help."  
   
> You give him a bright smile and he visibly relaxes.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Accommodating and Trustworthy Coworker  
"I'll head right over. Could you give me directions?"  
   
Dojima  
"Of course, of course. Thank you so much, Yagami. I owe you one."  
   
> He gives you his address and directions to his house, and you head over there.  
 

**> Dojima Residence**

  
   
> There are a lot of cats outside Dojima's house, rolling around on the ground and sitting on his car. They meow at you when you walk past, and one of them bats at your leg.  
> None of them have collars. They must be strays...  
> You ignore the cats and ring the doorbell.  
> Nanako answers the door, opening it just a crack at first.  
   
Nanako  
"Hello...?"  
   
Nanako  
"Oh... you're Yagami-san from the train station. Dad said you were coming over."  
   
Nanako  
"You can come in."  
   
> She lets you in, and watches you with a surprisingly serious look in her eyes for someone her age while you take off your shoes.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"You can call me Light. Dojima-san said he wanted me to keep an eye on you and your cousin for a few hours today."  
   
Nanako  
"Big Bro isn't here right now. He called earlier and said he had things to take care of after school."  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"You've been here alone all day?"  
   
Nanako  
"Not really. I was at school for a while."  
   
> She tugs on her skirt and ambles back into the living room.  
> You follow her and set your bag down on the couch. There's a quiz show on the TV... the kind your mother likes to watch.  
> The house is warmly lit, small, and very tidy. There's not much clutter down here. There's no toys or children's books or anything like that lying around, and nothing that looks like Narukami's, either. They must keep their things to their rooms.  
> You've never taken care of a child before... not even Sayu, not really. Your mother was almost always home, and if she went out she would usually take Sayu with her.  
> Nanako is by herself a lot, though... since Narukami is apparently out and about all the time.  
> She stands in the middle of the living room, fidgeting and looking at you.  
> This is awkward...  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"Sorry, I know it must be weird to have someone you don't really know in your house. "  
   
Nanako  
"It's okay."  
   
> She glances at the TV.  
   
Nanako  
"Do you like quiz shows?"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I don't usually watch them. My mom likes them, though."  
   
Nanako  
"Oh..."  
   
> She looks disappointed.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I'm sure I would like them if I gave them a try, though. Can I watch this one with you?"  
   
Nanako  
"Yeah!"  
   
> She sits down on a cushion right up close to the TV, and you settle down next to her.  
> The quiz show is a game where the contestants are supposed to answer as many questions as they can in five minutes about a particular topic. They get more prize money if they get a lot right, but money is subtracted from their winnings for wrong answers.  
> They used to do these kinds of shows live, but since the public thinks Kira has a penchant for killing people on live TV, they've stopped doing that... it's all pre-recorded now.  
> Nanako tries to answer some of the questions, but there's not many that a grade-schooler would know.  
> Still, she seems to know more trivia than you would have expected from someone her age.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"You're pretty good at this, Nanako-chan."  
   
> She smiles.  
> The bright guileless smile of a child...  
   
Nanako  
"I watch a lot of these, so I learn a lot of facts."  
   
Nanako  
"Like, did you know that the Nile is 6,853 kilometers long?"  
   
> You did know that.  
> You think it would be sort of mean to tell her that, though.  
> You raise your eyebrows and widen your eyes.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I didn't. That's impressive."  
   
> Nanako squints at you.  
   
Nanako  
"...You're lying."  
   
> !?  
   
Nanako  
"Dad always does that, too. It's okay if you knew already."  
   
> She totally caught you...  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I did. Sorry."  
   
> Nanako shakes her head and gives you a surprisingly stern look.  
   
Nanako  
"You shouldn't lie. Even small lies are bad, because when you do a lot of small lies it makes it easier to do big ones."  
   
Nanako  
"That's what my dad says... even though he lies a lot, too."  
   
KIRA  
"Most people lie a lot. Dojima-san just wants you to be better than most people."  
   
Nanako  
"Do _you_ lie a lot?"  
   
> Nanako is looking at you...  
> You feel very strongly that you don't want to disappoint her.  
> But she can tell when you're lying, at least some of the time...  
> You decided to tell Nanako the truth as much as you can, and to avoid telling outright lies.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I try not to."  
   
KIRA  
"...But sometimes I need to."  
   
> Nanako looks puzzled.  
   
Nanako  
"Why do you need to?"  
   
KIRA  
"..."  
   
KIRA  
"To keep people safe."  
   
> You clear your throat.  
   
Light Yagami  
"That is to say, sometimes when I'm working on cases I have to lie about things like my name or where I'm from, so that bad people can't hurt me or my family."  
   
Light Yagami  
"It's okay to lie to bad people. You have to do whatever it takes to stay safe, Nanako-chan."  
   
Nanako  
"Whatever it takes...?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"That means even if it's something you're normally not allowed to do, it's okay to do it if it will keep you safe. Like if you need to get away from a bad person or get out of a bad situation."  
   
Nanako  
"Oh... okay. I hope I don't have to do that."  
   
> She looks worried.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"You won't. You've got Dojima-san and Narukami-san looking after you, after all."  
   
> She smiles.  
   
Nanako  
"Yeah!"  
   
> It seems that you fixed your mistake...  
> Just to be sure, you should change the subject and try to distract her.  
> You start answering the questions on the quiz show before the contestants do.  
> You get them all right, of course.  
> Nanako stares at you, looking increasingly starry-eyed the more you get right.  
   
Nanako  
"Wow!! You're really good!"  
   
> You've impressed Nanako-chan.  
> You watch the quiz show with her for a while...  
   
> It's getting late.  
> Nanako looks sleepy. She yawns, and you turn off the TV.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"You should go to bed, Nanako-chan."  
   
Nanako  
"But big bro isn't home yet..."  
  
> It seems she's worried about Narukami.  
> What an irresponsible person... making Nanako worry...  
> You try to keep a scowl off your face and instead smile gently at her.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"How about I wake you up when he gets back?"  
   
Nanako  
"Okay..."  
   
> She shuffles off to bed reluctantly.  
> Once you're by yourself, you sit up on the couch and pull out your laptop.  
> It's easy to get Adachi's address from the Inaba police department's records. You barely even need to try. He lives in an apartment that's close enough to the station to walk... he probably doesn't have a car, then.  
> If he doesn't have a car, how is he transporting the people he kidnaps to wherever he takes them...? Someone would notice him carrying people around, even if he is a police officer. Does he take them in a police vehicle? You should see if you can find out how often he's used police vehicles.  
> You also use your access to L's computer system to locate Adachi's phone. You have his number now, since he texted those pictures of Rise to himself with your phone...  
> GPS puts his phone at the apartment building where he lives. It seems that Adachi is home right now.  
> That's not surprising... you think it's unlikely he goes many places besides his home and work. You should steal his phone off him at work tomorrow, delete the pictures, then you can break into his apartment sometime when he's out. It shouldn't take too long. You can wait for him to go to the grocery store or something...  
> You go back to examining Adachi's file.  
   
> The door slides open and shut again with a carefully soft noise.  
> It's past eleven, and Yu Narukami is finally home.  
> You're still on the couch, but you're considerably more relaxed than you were earlier. You took off your jacket and loosened your tie and unbuttoned the top button of your shirt, for example.  
> You sit up straight. You didn't realize you'd been slouching, but when you straighten up you get that ache in your shoulders that means you've been hunched over for too long.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Welcome back."  
   
> You hear a faint startled noise, and something that sounds like Narukami dropping something and then tripping over his own feet.  
> When he leans around the wall and comes into view, he looks exhausted and alarmed.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san? What are you doing here?"  
   
> You smile at him and hold up a hand in greeting.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Dojima-san asked me to come keep an eye on you and your cousin until he gets home. He's worried about you sneaking out and leaving Nanako-chan by herself."  
   
> Narukami sighs and combs a hand through his hair, no longer alarmed. Now he just looks tired.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I see."  
   
> He trudges inside. He is still in his school uniform, and has his bookbag slung over one shoulder. He's very rumpled, and the bag looks heavy.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Where have you been?"  
   
> Narukami is avoiding eye contact with you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Is Nanako asleep?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"She ought to be. She went to bed more than an hour ago."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That's good. I'm glad she didn't wait up for me."  
   
> It seems that he doesn't want to tell you where he's been. He's avoiding the question.  
> You close your laptop and stand up.  
   
Light Yagami  
"She was worried about you. You've been gone since you got out of school."  
   
> At least he has the decency to look sheepish and guilty.  
> You take a few steps towards him, gazing steadily at his face.  
> You have to get him to talk to you. You could threaten to tattle on him to Dojima, but that's a bit antagonistic, and it'll encourage him to hide things more carefully from you. People don't like to be threatened.  
> You soften your voice to a low concerned murmur.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm on your side, you know. If there's something going on that you don't want Dojima-san to know about... I wouldn't mind covering for you, if it isn't anything seriously bad."  
   
> He looks relieved.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It wasn't anything bad. We-- my friends and I-- were looking for Naoto-kun again. He didn't come to school today."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It took all day, but... we found him. He's okay."  
   
> He gives you a bright smile.  
> Last time you saw her, Shirogane said she had a plan of some kind that would help bring the case to a rapid close. Something dangerous.  
> Then you didn't see her at all for a few days.  
> It seems reasonable to assume that Shirogane put herself in a situation that could have gotten her killed. She must have attempted to engage the killer in some way. Narukami and his friends knew about her plan, which is why they were so worried...  
> They found her. Does that mean they rescued her?  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm glad to hear that. Where was he?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Um... Junes."  
   
> He flushes a little bit and clears his throat.  
> He's not very good at lying...               
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I mean... Adachi-san was right. Naoto-kun just spent a few days at home, and we happened to run into him at Junes coincidentally."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I should go to bed. I'm really tired."  
   
> Yesterday he was up this late and he wasn't tired at all...  
> How suspicious.  
> You smile at him and put your hand on his shoulder, achieving a masterful balance of fondness and condescension. He knows you know he's lying, and he also thinks that you like him too much to press the issue.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Of course. You have school tomorrow, after all. Say good night to Nanako-chan before you go, though. I promised to wake her up when you got back."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san..."  
   
> He seems reluctant to move away.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You really won't tell my uncle?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Nah. Even if I wanted to, I have a feeling it wouldn't accomplish much. You'd just keep sneaking out anyway, right?"  
   
> He laughs sheepishly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Probably, yeah."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Well... good night."  
   
> You put your hands in your pockets and keep smiling at him.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Sleep well."  
   
> He goes into Nanako's room before he goes upstairs, and you go back to the couch.  
> Naoto Shirogane is safe... she either escaped or was rescued by Yu Narukami and his friends. It would make sense if they all saved her; several of them disappeared and then reappeared, and they're all friends.  
> They've been saving the people Adachi kidnaps, but they haven't spoken to the police about it. Your "supernatural location" hypothesis seems to be gaining support.  
> You remember that Kanji Tatsumi was interviewed after he disappeared, but there isn't any record of what he said...  
> Surely whatever he said was important. You should try to find out what he said. That will probably give you some insight into where he went, and where Yu Narukami was all day.  
> The list of things you need to do keeps growing...  
> You spend a while longer investigating various things on your laptop, and then you fall asleep sitting up on the couch.  
   
> .....  
> The area is covered in a thick fog...  
> .....  
> It's difficult to see anything...  
> You can't move...  
   
???  
"Do you seek the truth...?"  
   
> That voice...  
> It's familiar...  
   
???  
"Truth... power... justice..."  
   
???  
"Are they the same...?"  
   
> How do you know that voice...?  
> You try to move forward, but you can't...  
   
???  
"To find what you desire... come and find me..."  
   
???  
"Yagami-kun."  
   
> !  
> You wake up with a start.  
> Dojima is leaning over you, looking concerned and fond.  
   
Dojima  
"Hey. You should get home."  
   
> Did you look alarmed...?  
> You glance at your watch. It's past one in the morning already.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ah, I apologize, Dojima-san."  
   
Dojima  
"It's alright. I should be the one apologizing for calling you in to babysit so last minute... was everything okay?"  
   
> You stand up and put your laptop back in your bag.  
> You feel a bit disoriented, after waking up so suddenly...  
> It's strange. You're usually not one to fall asleep anywhere but your bed, and you weren't that tired...  
   
Light Yagami  
"Totally fine. Nothing to report, sir. Everyone was on their best behavior."  
   
> He rubs his neck and smiles, tired and relieved.  
   
Dojima  
"That's good. Yu didn't try to wander off anywhere?"  
   
> You smile at him and pick up your bag.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Not at all."  
   
Dojima  
"Well... I appreciate you coming over and keeping an eye on things. Go get some rest, I don't want you falling asleep on the job like Adachi."  
   
> He looks awkward and pained for a moment, like he's trying to figure out what to do...  
> He pats you on the shoulder.  
> Dojima doesn't seem to know how to interact with you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I appreciate your concern, Dojima-san. I'll be alright."  
   
> You walk back to the Amagi Inn. The whole town is blanketed in fog... everything is damp and blurry. It's very surreal.  
> What was that strange dream...?


	7. according to the fruit of your doings

**> Inaba Police Station...**  
   
> Shirogane has called in sick today, but promises to be back on the job soon.  
> "In a reduced capacity," she said...  
> Apparently she will be attending Yasogami High during the day from now on.  
> Dojima seems perplexed but relieved by this news.  
> It seems you can't talk to her about the case today...  
   
> You spend some time working at your desk...  
   
> The first thing Adachi does when he arrives (late) to work is drop some papers in front of you.  
> More accurately, he drops some papers on top of your hands, which are on your keyboard.  
   
Light Yagami  
"...?"  
   
> He doesn't say anything, just flops down in his chair and gets to work.  
> You decide to inspect the papers.  
> It's three pages stapled together... at a glance, it could just be a normal memo. A closer look reveals...  
> ...?  
> It's just names...  
> You flip through the pages... there's nothing but names, first and last, printed on both sides of the sheets of paper.  
> There must be hundreds of them... over a thousand, most likely.  
> They seem to be entirely female names. A lot of them are foreign... English, Russian, Chinese...  
   
Light Yagami  
"What is this?"  
   
> Adachi leans back in his chair and laces his fingers together behind his head.  
> He seems entertained.  
   
Adachi  
"You don't recognize them?"  
   
> Recognize them...?  
> You look back down at the papers, but none of the names stand out to you. It's not anyone you know.  
   
Adachi  
"It's a list of all the girls aged thirteen to nineteen killed by Kira since he started his killing spree about five years ago."  
   
Light Yagami  
"!?"  
   
> Adachi is grinning at you...  
   
Adachi  
"You don't even have the decency to remember them all... I guess when it gets to be that many they all sort of blur together, huh?"  
   
> Dammit...  
> _Dammit._  
> How could you forget something like that?  
> It's been such a long time... there have been so many names...  
> But still...  
> Ryuzaki would have remembered. He would have known immediately what that list was. You didn't, and now you look like an idiot.  
> You shouldn't let it get to you.  
> Instead...  
> You still need to get his phone back so you can delete those pictures of Rise...  
> You decide to pretend to be bothered. You crumple the paper into a ball, shove it into the trashcan under your desk, then stand up.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm going out."  
   
Adachi  
"Oho, someone's got their feathers ruffled!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
> You gather your things without speaking to him.  
> He stands up, too...  
   
Light Yagami  
"Don't talk to me."  
   
> When you leave, you shoulder-check him and slip his phone out of his pocket.  
> He doesn't seem to notice.  
> You have obtained Adachi's Phone!  
   
**> Central Shopping District, South...** >  
  
> You deleted the pictures off Adachi's phone... now you just need to break into his apartment and take them off his computer.  
> It's autumn now, but it still feels like summer. You left your jacket at the station, but you're still a little too warm...  
> The shopping district is emptier than usual... school isn't out yet, and neither are most office jobs. You see a few housewives shopping, but no one else.  
> That gas station attendant is nowhere in sight. You pause as you pass the gas station and consider going inside, but... what would you even do?  
> You're curious about her, but you don't have any particular reason for it. She's just odd.  
> You decided to investigate the Tatsuhime Shrine instead.  
   
**> Tatsuhime Shrine...**  
   
> As you trot up the stairs to the shrine, you feel a strange sense of forboding... like you shouldn't be here.  
> The shrine seems abandoned...  
> There's some empty soda cans and other litter on the ground, and the leaves under the trees haven't been raked, and the path hasn't been swept... the shrine itself seems to be in somewhat poor condition, as well.  
> There's no one here.  
> You nudge at a soda can with the toe of your shoe and look around. It's small... there's not much to investigate here.  
> You feel like you're being watched... even though there's no one here.  
> You move towards the offertory box, to investigate, but as you step forward you hear a strange growling sound.  
> Is there a guard dog...?  
> You look around, but you don't see anything... strange.  
> You step forward again, but...  
> Something leaps out of the bushes and hits you!  
  
Light Yagami  
"Argh!"  
   
> You stumble back and fall.  
> A snarling angry fox is attacking you!  
> It lunges at you-- going for the throat?!  
> You block it and it bites your arm instead, but now it's clawing at your arms!  
> Is it rabid??  
   
Light Yagami  
"Get off!"  
   
> You try to throw it off, but it just digs its teeth in harder.  
> The same thing happens when you try to kick it.  
> The pain is considerable. You're bleeding quite a bit, too.  
   
Young-Sounding Voice  
"Oh my god!"  
   
> You hear a voice from the stairs...  
> There's a teenage boy with one foot on the top step looking rather horrified.  
> You don't recognize him...  
> He's got pale skin and pale wavy hair... he reminds you of someone, but since you're rather occupied with the possibly-rabid fox mauling your arms you can't really think of who.  
> Whoever he is, he ought to be in school.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Uhh-- hang on, I'll go get you some help!"  
   
> He runs back down the stairs and out of sight...  
> You try to grab the fox's head, but it slashes at your hand and scratches your fingers! You jerk your hand back with a sharp yelp.  
> Now your fingers are bleeding. Shit.  
> Should you shoot the fox?  
> You reach for your service pistol, but you hesitate...  
> Is it really okay to kill a fox at a shrine...?  
> Of course it's probably fine since it's attacking you, but... something about it seems like a bad idea...  
> The fox has a red apron covered in hearts tied around its neck. It's not just some wild animal... Is it guarding the shrine?  
> If this fox is guarding the shrine, you almost certainly should not kill it. Not that you believe in guardian spirits or anything like that, but... it's better to be safe than sorry with these kinds of things. You can never be too careful.  
> ...That still leaves you with the question of what to do about this fox attached to your arm, though.  
> Is it going to bite your hand off? Can foxes do that?  
> Ryuzaki would know if foxes could do that.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shit. Shit shit shit."  
   
> The boy comes running back up the stairs with someone else in tow... one of Narukami's friends. The gangster. You cannot remember his name.  
   
Narukami's Gangster Friend  
"Oh, crap!"  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Don't just goggle at it, _do_ something!"  
   
Narukami's Gangster Friend  
"Right, right-- uhh, hey, fox! Cut that shit out!"  
   
> The fox, to your surprise, pauses. It growls around your arm and seems to look at the two boys.  
> Narukami's friend-- Kanji Tatsumi, you think-- holds out his hands and gives the fox a stern look.  
   
Kanji  
"I'm serious, man, let him go."  
   
> The fox lets go and backs up, still growling.  
> It seems that Kanji recognizes and has some sort of relationship with this fox. It listened to him...  
> You scramble to your feet, covered in dirt and blood.  
> You feel a little bit dizzy.  
> Kanji runs up to you, pale and alarmed, and stares at your arm.  
   
Kanji  
"Shit, that's a lot of blood! You okay, man? Uh, I mean, sir? Officer?"  
   
> He seems flustered.  
> Your arms and hands hurt... but it's not unbearable. You dig your heels into the ground so you don't wobble, and you smile at him.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I think I'll live. Thank you for your help. Kanji Tatsumi, right?"  
   
Kanji  
"Tha's me."  
   
> He steps forward and awkwardly moves his hands in a weird aborted gesture. It seems like he wants to let you lean on him, but he also doesn't want to touch you.  
> Understandable, considering you are covered in dirt and blood.  
   
Kanji  
"We'd better get you out of here... the fox doesn't want you near the shrine for some reason, and I don't think he likes me enough not to bust my ass if we hang around."  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"I brought my first aid kit, but maybe we should take you to the hospital. That thing could have diseases or something."  
   
Kanji  
"The hell?? Of course he doesn't have any diseases! He's a friend of senpai's."  
   
> Senpai...  
> There's a lot of people he could be talking about, but... Yu Narukami seems like exactly the sort of person who would make friends with a fox.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"You can't be _friends_ with a fox. It's a wild animal."  
   
Kanji  
"He works at the shrine, he ain't wild."  
   
> They continue bickering as the three of you leave the shrine...  
> It seems like they know each other.  
   
**> Souzai Daigaku...**  
   
> You sit down in one of the crates outside of Souzai Daigaku... Kanji gets a pitcher of water from the woman working there and uses it to help you wash your arms and hands.  
> Even though there was a lot of blood, the scratches and bitemarks don't look too serious... you're not very good at gauging this sort of thing, though, and looking at the wounds makes you feel sick.  
> The student you don't quite recognize drags another crate over so he can sit close enough to inspect the wounds himself.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Huh, that's weird... these don't seem that deep. You were bleeding a lot, though... you don't have hemophilia, do you?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Not as far as I know."  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Huh... even though they're not as deep as I thought, you'll still need stitches. Possibly some shots and antibiotics, as well."  
   
> He frowns at your arm.  
> If Ryuzaki were here, he would make fun of you for being more squeamish than a fifteen-year-old...  
> The student blinks a few times, then sits back and rubs his eyes... he seems to be getting more confused by the second.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Kanji, am I seeing things or are these healing really quickly as we're sitting here?"  
   
> Since there's no more than two things to sit on, Kanji is standing up and leaning on the table.  
> He is not looking at you.  
   
Kanji  
"Man, don't make me look at that gross shit."  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Just look and tell me if I'm imagining this."  
   
> Kanji grimaces and looks down at you, and stares for a long strange moment at the wounds on your arms.  
   
Kanji  
"Yeah, they're kinda shrinkin', I guess? Makes sense, since he's a healing spirit."  
   
> His eyes widen and his cheeks start to turn pink.  
   
Kanji  
"I mean, uh-- sh-shit-- that's what... the rumors... that's what I hear from my mom!! You know!! Old people love that magical healing bullcrap!!"  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Right..."  
   
> He slumps in his chair, hand hovering over the first aid kit on his lap.  
> You look down at your arms... the scratches are definitely smaller than they were a moment ago. It seems that they are indeed healing.  
> A magical healing fox with a red bib that lives at an Inari shrine...  
> ...  
> Could it be... actually Inari...?  
> Just how many Shinto gods are there in Inaba?  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"The countryside really is totally different from Tokyo..."  
   
> Kanji laughs. The other one just smiles.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"So... Kanji says the fox isn't carrying any diseases, and these are healing abnormally fast... I guess it's up to you what you want to do. I can clean and bandage your arms here, or I can take you to the hospital."  
   
> Should you go to the hospital...?  
> If you go to the hospital, Near will find out about it.  
> You're not sure what he would do with that information...  
> It's a small town, too, so it's likely that your coworkers would find out about it as well.  
> .........  
> You can't believe you're really thinking this, but...  
> You decided to trust that the magical shrine fox that may or may not be Inari does not have any diseases and put off going to the hospital for now.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I'd rather not go to the hospital."  
   
> Kanji seems relieved. The other one purses his lips, but doesn't try to convince you otherwise.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"Alright. I'll patch you up, then."  
   
> As he dabs at your cuts with alcohol swabs, you decide to strike up a conversation...  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Not that I'm not grateful for the help, but... shouldn't the two of you be in school?"  
   
Kanji  
"Urk."  
   
> He looks guilty. So he's just playing hooky...  
> The smaller one shrugs.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Delinquent (?)  
"I didn't feel like going today... and they let me skip whenever I want."  
   
> They let him skip...? He doesn't seem like he's lying...  
> You can only think of a few reasons why that might be the case. He could be chronically ill, grieving, or in a line of work that prevents him from attending school like Rise and Shirogane.  
> Two out of those three options are sensitive subjects, so you decide it would be better not to directly pry into the matter. You should come at it from a different angle, so that he doesn't feel interrogated or suspicious.  
   
Vaguely Familiar Student  
"I guess since you're new, you're the only cop in town who doesn't know who I am... heh..."  
   
> He's avoiding eye contact...  
   
Vaguely Familiar Student  
"I'm... Naoki..."  
   
Naoki  
"Naoki Konishi."  
   
> Saki Konishi's younger brother... it was the family resemblance that made him seem familiar to you.  
> Adachi murdered his older sister.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I'm Light Yagami. I just transferred to the Inaba Police Department recently... I'm actually helping wrap up the serial murders case."  
   
Naoki  
"I figured... pretty much all the cops in town have been helping with that."  
   
> He seems a little bit more sullen and tired now.  
   
Naoki  
"Maybe you can't answer this, but..."  
   
> He pauses, holding a roll of gauze bandage and staring at your arm.  
> When he glances up at you, you can see grief and doubt shining in his eyes.  
   
Naoki  
"Do you really think that kid did it? Mitsuo Kubo?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"You know the name of the suspect?"  
   
Naoki  
"It's all over town... but even before that, one of the uniforms came by and told us, even though he's not really supposed to... he seemed really excited. He was really confident they had the right guy..."  
   
Naoki  
"So, what do you think?"  
  
> He does not look excited in the slightest.  
> You can hear a tense wariness in his voice that suggests that he doesn't believe that Mistuo Kubo is the killer...  
> That's interesting. As a victim's brother, he might know something about Saki Konishi's death that was overlooked. Maybe he saw or heard something that would point away from Kubo...?  
> Kanji has gone very still. He seems to be listening intently.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Honestly, I'm not convinced... the evidence is all circumstantial, and at this point it feels more like the department is latching onto him because he confessed and they want the case to be over, and not because he's the real culprit."  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I'm sorry... that might be difficult for you to hear."  
   
Naoki  
"Actually, I'm relieved... I don't think that kid did it, either."  
   
> He resumes bandaging your arm.  
   
Naoki  
"I don't know about that announcer lady or Morooka, but... I've seen pictures of that kid, and Sis would've kicked his ass six ways to Sunday if he tried anything funny."  
   
Naoki  
"He's just some dweeby kid... my sister couldn't have been killed by someone like that. Sis wasn't super athletic, but she wasn't so frail that she could have been overpowered by that wimp."  
   
> Kanji looks intrigued.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"That's a good point. Did you bring that up with the other detectives working on the case?"  
   
> Naoki gives your arm a bitter look...  
   
Naoki  
"I tried to talk to that creep detective, but he wouldn't listen to me. Said they were already building their case against him, and that the higher-ups had decided, and a bunch of crap like that."  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Creep detective? Who's that?"  
   
Naoki  
"Tohru Adachi."  
   
> No one else you've met has described him as creepy... this could be useful.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"What about him did you find creepy?"  
   
Naoki  
"He was the one who interviewed Sis after she found that announcer's body... he showed up a couple times after they were done. Said he had 'follow-up questions.' I overheard her talking to one of her friends... she said he was leering at her and asking her sketchy personal questions, like if she was dating anybody."  
   
Naoki  
"Her friend didn't believe her, though. She said Sis was probably just imagining things because she was desperate. Our parents didn't believe her, either... they got in a fight about it. They got in fights about everything."  
   
> It takes all your self-control to stop yourself from smiling. This is testimony you could use against Adachi in a case.  
> Adachi had access to the victim through his work as a police officer, and she rejected his advances... that's opportunity and motive.  
   
Naoki  
"Anyway, on top of being a creep, he seems really bad at his job. He seemed way more interested in getting my sister's number than in actually reviewing the facts of the case. How could they possibly have found the culprit when a guy like that is working the case?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"It would be unprofessional for me to badmouth a coworker, but between you and me... I don't trust him either."  
   
Naoki  
"...?"  
   
 > Naoki looks surprised.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I think the local police department isn't really equipped to handle this case... that's why I came out here. I want to make sure the culprit is caught, no matter what."  
   
Kanji  
"Wow... so cool..."  
   
> You and Naoki both glance up at him.  
> He blushes.  
   
Kanji  
"I-I mean... uh... it's just that it's cool how you... y'know... care about finding the culprit, and stuff. Most of the cops out here are assholes."  
   
Naoki  
"They seriously are."  
   
Naoki  
"You seem alright, though, Yagami-san. I'm counting on you from now on, okay?"  
   
> Naoki has placed his trust in you... he believes you can bring his sister's killer to justice.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I won't let you down, Konishi-san."  
   
> He finishes bandaging your fingers and packs up his first aid kit. He works fast... and the bandages are very tidy. Maybe he works in the school nurse's office at school.  
   
Naoki  
"If anything at all seems weird, make sure you go to the hospital. An infected animal bite is really nasty."  
   
Kanji  
"I'm tellin' you, that fox ain't diseased."  
   
> This seems like a good time to pry further into the matter of the fox that may or may not be Inari.  
> If it is...  
> ...  
> It's probably a bad sign that it attacked you...  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"You said the fox is friends with one of your senpai, right?"  
   
Kanji  
"Oh, uh... yeah... Yu-senpai hangs out with it sometimes after school. Like, he helps around the shrine and stuff, I think."  
   
> Is this one of the part-time jobs Dojima mentioned?  
> Is the fox related to the murders? A spirit with magical healing powers... perhaps it's healing the kidnapping victims who haven't died...?  
   
Kanji  
"He hangs out with us sometimes when we're investigating."  
   
Kanji  
"I-investigating the paranormal, I mean!!"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Has it ever attacked anyone before?"  
   
Naoki  
"I've never heard of anyone being attacked by anything up there, let alone a magic fox..."  
   
Kanji  
"He growls sometimes, but I've never seen him bite anybody before. I guess somethin' about you set off his guardian instincts."  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Animals don't usually like me much, but I can't say I've ever been mauled before."  
   
Naoki  
"It didn't even let you get close enough to make an offering, so I guess you can't even apologize for whatever it thinks you did."  
   
> It seems that you will be unable to return to the shrine until you earn the trust of the fox that's guarding it.  
> You didn't see anything especially suspicious or supernatural while you were there... besides the fox that may or may not be the Shinto god Inari. Does it have any connection to the goddess Izanami?  
> If you want to know anything more, you should probably ask Yu Narukami.  
   
> You talk with Naoki and Kanji for a little while...  
> Kanji blushes and stutters every time you look right at him... it's annoying.  
> It seems they both live in the shopping district. Kanji's family owns a textile shop, and Naoki's owns a liquor store.  
> Apparently Kanji gets in trouble a lot because he looks like a gangster. He's somewhat famous for beating up on actual biker gangs. Naoki works with the student health association at Yasogami.  
> You don't learn anything especially relevant to the case...  
> Before you leave, you stop them.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Hey. Since you two saved me from getting my hands gnawed off, I'll let it slide this time, but... Tatsumi-san, you should really go to school."  
   
> That's something a responsible adult would say.  
> He grimaces, but he seems to appreciate it anyway.  
   
> You got some useful evidence about the circumstances of Saki Konishi's death.  
> You learned that there is a magical healing fox at the shrine, who may or may not be the Shinto god Inari. The fox does not like you, but you don't know why. You also learned that Yu Narukami is friends with that fox, and that some days after school he helps out at the shrine.  
> You confirmed that Kanji Tatsumi is gay.  
> You didn't see any sign of murder or kidnapping at the shrine... a lot of people live nearby, and it has a guardian, so it seems highly unlikely that the shrine is the "supernatural place" you're looking for.  
> You made a promise to Naoki Konishi.  
> ...  
> As you walk back to the police station, you think about the list Adachi gave you again...  
> All of those girls... most of them could have been killed by Misa, Higuchi, Takada, and Mikami, but that doesn't mean their blood isn't on your hands. You are Kira. Kira killed those girls. You shouldn't let yourself dodge responsibility.  
> Those girls have families, too. A lot of them probably had brothers like Naoki.  
> You pause and mull that over for a moment.  
> A normal person would be overcome by guilt right now.  
> You feel...  
> ...  
> Annoyed.  
> You're annoyed that Adachi pulled such a cliché move on you to try to get under your skin. You're annoyed that you had to let him think it worked. You're annoyed you can't kill him. You're annoyed you got mauled by a fox. You're annoyed about Yu Narukami.  
> More than anything else, you feel annoyed.  
> You even feel annoyed about being annoyed. You'd like to feel engaged and challenged, but this whole Inaba thing isn't actually intellectually engaging. It's just frustrating.  
> Also, your arm hurts.  
   
**> Inaba Police Station...**  
   
> You set Adachi's phone down on his desk under a folder...  
> You ask around the office, but no one seems to know anything about the fox at the shrine. Most people in Inaba only go to the shrine for festivals, which is why it's so dilapidated. You really will need to talk to Narukami if you want to know more.  
> Time flies by as you get very absorbed in various computer-related tasks...  
> You get off work early so you can move your things out of the Amagi Inn and into your new apartment.  
> Somehow, your life in Inaba is both mundane and outrageous at the same time...


	8. give us this day our daily bread

**> Your Apartment...**  
   
**> It is October 1 st.**  
> It's four in the morning.  
> Your phone is ringing.  
> ...  
> It's not a dream...  
   
Light Yagami  
"Hello?"  
   
N  
"Hello, Light Yagami."  
   
> It's Near.  
> Upon hearing his voice, you're immediately more awake. Why is he calling you? Something must have happened. Not to your family-- you would have heard from them first, you hope. Or a hospital. It has to be a development in the Kira case.  
> Any development in the case can't be good news. Mikami? Mello?  
   
Light Yagami  
"Near? Is this an emergency, or are you harassing me?"  
   
N  
"Mitsuo Kubo is dead."  
   
Light Yagami  
" _Dead?_ "  
   
N  
"Heart attack."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shit."  
   
> You sit up and turn the phone away from your mouth and bury your face in your free hand.  
> Shit.  
> _Shit._  
> You didn't tell Mikami or Takada where you were going. Of course one of them killed him. It was stupid of you not to take precautions to prevent this from happening.  
> Mitsuo Kubo was a murderer, even if he didn't kill Yamano or Konishi-- it's not as much of a grievous error as it could have been-- but his dying puts you in a terrible position.  
   
N  
"I suppose you're going to tell me you didn't kill him."  
   
> You groan and rub your eyes before tilting the phone back to your mouth.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't imagine it will do me any good, but no, I did not kill Mitsuo Kubo."  
   
N  
"Convincing."  
   
Light Yagami  
"If I were Kira, which I'm not, it would be astonishingly stupid of me to kill him. It's too suspicious."  
   
N  
"'Kira did something stupid, therefore Kira can't be me,' huh? That's a weak argument."  
   
> Ryuzaki rather liked that argument.  
> At least he respected your intelligence... Near seems to think you're stupid.  
   
N  
"Well, that's all."  
   
> You scowl.  
   
Light Yagami  
"If that's all, it could have waited until later, don't you think?"  
   
N  
"You will be hearing about it from your colleagues later today."  
   
Light Yagami  
"So...?"  
   
N  
"I wanted to be the first to tell you, so I could gauge the sincerity of your reaction for myself."  
   
> _That_ is something Ryuzaki would have done.  
   
Light Yagami  
"How did you find it?"  
   
N  
"Adequate."  
   
> That's not really the answer you were looking for... it's not really an answer that makes sense at all.  
> He hangs up on you with an unnecessarily loud _thunk._  
> It seems that getting in contact with Mikami is a lot more urgent than you thought... you can't let him kill anyone else in Inaba. It's too suspicious. The bulk of the damage has been done, but still-- you can't allow for the possibility of this happening again.  
> You decide to go to Junes later today.  
> You try to go back to sleep...  
> ...  
> It doesn't work... you're awake now. It's too quiet.  
> You decided to get up and do some work on your laptop. The sun hasn't risen yet, but if you're awake you should be awake and doing something.  
   
> Shirogane has been out of work and school since she was rescued.  
> It's been a while... it seems that whatever happened to her, it took some time to recover. If she sustained any injuries, perhaps she's waiting until they're healed before returning to her life. You haven't spoken to her yet.  
> You're more settled into Inaba now... you know your way around town now. There's not a lot here, so it wasn't difficult.  
> There are no teenagers lurking in your apartment building and spying on you, so it's a lot more relaxing than the Amagi Inn.  
> Through your investigations, you've learned that Adachi was one of the police officers who had contact with Mayumi Yamano before she disappeared. He had opportunity to kill both her and Saki Konishi.  
> According to Dojima, Adachi 'had a bit of a crush on' Mayumi Yamano. It seems likely that Yamano rejected him, too, and that's the motive behind both of the murders.  
> You've checked the autopsy reports on both Yamano and Konishi, but you can't find anything that says whether they checked for prints on their bodies. The bodies have been released back to their families by now, so it's too late to ask them to check again.  
> You're concluded that you won't be able to convict Adachi for the murders of Saki Konishi and Mayumi Yamano. You don't have enough evidence.  
> You will have to either convict him for some other crime, or find a way to kill him.  
> ...basically, you've come full circle and not made any progress whatsoever.  
> You decided to review what you have figured out so far about the murders in Inaba.  
   
> Adachi killed Saki Konishi and Mayumi Yamano because they rejected him, using some sort of supernatural power that is not a Death Note.  
> Kinshiro Morooka was killed by Mitsuo Kubo as a copycat crime.  
> Adachi's power involves access to a location that has something supernatural about it. This location is where he takes his victims to kill them.  
> He is being protected by the goddess Izanami, who described him as 'awakened.' You cannot kill him.  
> Yukiko Amagi, Kanji Tatsumi, Rise Kujikawa, and Naoto Shirogane all disappeared and reappeared again. Their disappearances were noted, but dismissed as unrelated to the murders. All of them are friends with Yu Narukami.  
> Narukami and his friends are currently working independently from the police to solve and prevent Adachi's murders. They know where Adachi takes his victims and have been able to save some of them, but they do not know that Adachi is the killer.  
> You know that Adachi had both the motive and opportunity to kill Konishi and Yamano. You do not know if he had motive or opportunity to attack Narukami's friends.  
> All of the victims-- Narukami's friends as well as Yamano and Konishi-- appeared on TV before they died.  
> Narukami and his friends spend a lot of time hanging out in the Junes electronics department.  
> There's a rumor going around that if you look into a television screen at midnight on a rainy night, you'll see your soulmate. This is called the Midnight Channel. You tried it and saw only a blurry outline of a person that you didn't recognize.  
> The Shinto goddess Izanami is real and involved somehow in the murders.  
> Yu Narukami is friends with a magical fox with healing powers that guards Tatsuhime Shrine. This fox may or may not be the Shinto god Inari, granter of wishes. This fox usually keeps its distance from humans, but dislikes you.  
> ...  
> That's all you know.

  
**> Inaba Police Station...**  
   
> The department is in chaos following Kubo's death... apparently they've never had anyone killed by Kira before. The crime rate here is so low that it was never necessary. This makes you look that much worse to Near...  
> For now, you're all forbidden from discussing the matter with the public.  
> That doesn't stop you from discussing the matter with each other, though. Unfortunately.  
   
Adachi  
"So, trouble in paradise?"  
   
> Adachi is smiling at you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Pardon?"  
   
Adachi  
"You're not dumb enough to have done it yourself, so it had to be the rumored Second Kira... which means they either did it to spite you, or because they have no idea you're here. Either way, you're in a bad situation."  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
Light Yagami, Fresh-faced Rookie  
"Haha, I don't know what you're talking about, Adachi-san! What does it have to do with me?"  
   
> He rolls his eyes.  
> After that, he ditches work and vanishes.  
> You spend a few hours at your desk, then go to Junes to get a burner phone.  
> You should get some food while you're there... you haven't gotten a proper load of groceries since you arrived in Inaba.  
> Your apartment kitchen currently contains: **various condiments** , **rice** , **coffee** , **a slightly stale loaf of whole-wheat bread** , **six eggs** , and many pairs of **disposable chopsticks** that the previous tenant left in one of the drawers.  
> You are entirely out of tea. You are not entirely out of food.  
> Most of what you have, you haven't touched since you got it.

  
**> Junes Department Store, Grocery Section**  
   
> ...  
> You don't really know what to buy. You're not used to grocery shopping for yourself. Misa does the grocery shopping. Before that, L had groceries delivered. Before that, your mother did the grocery shopping. Sometimes your mother would send you out with a list, but that was different.  
> Ryuzaki would have found this all very funny, even though he didn't buy or prepare food himself either.  
> You stare blankly at the shelves of canned soup...  
> Nothing here looks appetizing. You don't like soup, particularly, but... you also don't particularly like any other food.  
> You decide to go to the produce section and get some apples. That's something you know you like.  
> But when you step out of the aisle you were in...  
> !  
> Adachi is here, and so is Yu Narukami!  
> It seems that Adachi is also grocery shopping... you're not quite close enough to hear what the two of them are saying, but it seems like Adachi is complaining about something.  
> Yu is gazing at Adachi with such a starstruck facial expression that it makes you feel sick.  
   
Yosuke  
"Oh, it's Yagami-san."  
   
> You turn slightly...  
> Yosuke Hanamura is here, too. He's wearing his work uniform and lurking awkwardly in the produce section next to a sign displaying today's "fresh deals."  
> You smile at him.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Hiya."  
   
> He cranes his neck to look around you, to see what caught your attention.  
> When he sees Yu with Adachi, hurt flashes over his face before being replaced immediately with a bitter scowl.  
   
Yosuke  
"He's hanging out with _Adachi_ again, huh."  
   
> He waves, but Yu doesn't notice.  
> Yosuke wrinkles his nose and grumbles.  
   
Yosuke  
"...Figures. Whenever Adachi's around, everyone else might as well be invisible."  
   
Yosuke  
"He probably doesn't even know I'm here, even though I've told him my schedule a billion times. If he doesn't notice I'm here when I'm standing next to the front door, he sure as hell isn't going to notice me when I'm working."  
   
> It seems that Yosuke is the type to complain at length to anyone who will listen, no matter how well he knows them. He's also the type to complain about things he doesn't like instead of doing something about it.  
> How aggravating.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"You could go talk to him."  
   
> He flushes and bristles.  
   
Yosuke  
"Huh?! No way! He's busy! They're having a conversation, I'm not gonna just run over there and interrupt, like... 'hey, partner, pay attention to me!' That would be so lame."  
   
> It doesn't look like they're having much of a conversation. Mostly it seems like Yu is eagerly hanging on every word out of Adachi's mouth.  
> What is Adachi talking about...? What's he up to? What exactly is their relationship? It seems to you that Adachi doesn't like Yu at all, but as far as you know he hasn't tried to hurt him yet. There's no record of Yu going missing since the first murder.  
> Yu says something, and Adachi laughs a little bit.  
> Why would he bother to pretend to be friends with Yu? What's he getting out of it?  
> It's not sex. That would show in their body language. Yu has the hopeless look of a boy with a crush he thinks he's keeping secret. Information, maybe. Yu could be telling Adachi what he knows about the case-- but that can't be it, either, because it seems like Adachi is the one doing most of the talking.  
> You and Yosuke both stand there staring at Yu and Adachi.  
> Based on the way he's staring at Yu, his flushed cheeks, and the defensive way he has his arms crossed over his chest... Yosuke jealous of Adachi.  
> Maybe what Adachi gets out of this is attention. Even if he finds Yu annoying, perhaps he actually does enjoy the rapt undivided attention Yu gives him.  
> Even though he doesn't like Yu at all, he likes how it feels to be awe-inspiring.  
   
Yosuke  
"Oh, shit, sorry, I should ask-- do you need any help finding anything today?"  
   
> Yosuke seems to have shaken himself from the gay trance keeping him fixated exclusively on Yu and Adachi and remembered that he is working.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"No, that won't be necessary."  
   
> You walk over to the apples.  
> ...Yosuke follows you.  
   
Yosuke  
"How's your arm?"  
   
> Kanji must have told his friends that you got attacked by the fox.  
> Your arm healed completely after a day and a half, and it didn't leave any scars. You haven't gone back to the shrine since... it seems unwise.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"It's fine, thank you."  
   
> Yosuke watches you very intently while you put apples in your basket.  
> You don't go through apples very quickly when Ryuk isn't with you. Six should be fine for a while.  
> Your basket now contains **six apples** and **one box of imported British teabags**.  
> Yosuke doesn't seem interested in what you're buying; he is squinting instead at your face, like he's trying to read you.  
   
Yosuke  
"Any idea why the fox attacked you?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I'm an unfamiliar person and it felt territorial, most likely."  
   
> You walk over to the vegetables.  
> Speaking of things feeling territorial around unfamiliar people... Yosuke continues trailing after you. His shoulders are tense and he's fidgeting with the cuffs of his sleeves, frown gradually deepening.  
> There's something bothering him about you. Could he have heard about Kubo...? No, he would have come right out and asked about that.  
   
Yosuke  
"You're the Light Yagami who got into TouDai with a perfect score on the entrance exam, right?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"That's me."  
   
Yosuke  
"So how come you're all the way out here in the sticks? I heard you were here to help with the serial murders, but the police here think it's solved, so..."  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I wasn't satisfied with the department's work on the case, so I came to investigate myself. They don't have enough evidence to convict at the moment, so I want to make sure that they got the right guy. If he's the one, then they need more evidence; if he's not, then they need more investigation."  
   
> While you speak, he keeps looking at you with the same puzzled wary look.  
> You should try to endear yourself to him by seeming more relatable and nonthreatening. You shift your tone so it's slightly casual.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Senpai  
"I'd heard there were some strange things about the case, and that Inaba had never had a case like this, so I thought since I've seen a lot of weird stuff in the city... my being here would be valuable."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Senpai  
"Plus, I thought a stay in the countryside without my girlfriend would be a nice break, haha. I haven't gotten any time to myself since we moved in together, and she can be a little... _much._ "  
   
> Yosuke seems even more uncomfortable and even more confused.  
   
Yosuke  
"Well... besides the whole serial-murder thing, Inaba's a great place to come and relax. There's not much going on here."  
   
> He seems content to drop the interrogation for now.  
> What's his problem...?  
   
> You poke around the produce section for a few minutes, but nothing looks appetizing. Yosuke keeps following you around, complaining about Narukami and staring accusatorily at you.  
> You decide to give up on groceries and just go get a phone.  
   
Yosuke  
"Oh? Where are you going?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"The electronics department."  
   
> Yosuke leaps in front of you!  
> You jerk to a halt.  
   
Yosuke  
"Wh-wh-- the electronics department? Why? What for?"  
   
> You keep smiling blandly at him.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I was thinking of purchasing some electronics."  
   
Yosuke  
"Of course... that's... hrmmm."  
   
> You try to move past him and he blocks you again.  
> Now that he's in your personal space, you realize you're the same height. That annoys you more than you think it ought to.  
> You brush past him and keep walking. Yosuke follows you again, so obviously nervous that you can practically taste it in the air around him.  
 

 **> Junes Department Store, Electronics Department**  
   
> There's no one else here... not even any employees. There are flyers for sales that happened months ago still stuck on some of the shelves. There's a thin layer of dust on all the TVs but one.  
> One of the large flatscreen television sets was recently moved about an inch. There's fingerprints all around the edge, and a few on the screen too.  
> Yosuke makes a high-pitched noise when you step towards the TV.  
   
Yosuke  
"What're you doing??"  
   
> You've seen this TV in the background of Rise's Junes selfies. Yu's friends must be the ones who left all these fingerprints, but... why?  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I'm looking at this TV. Most of the expensive electronics in here haven't been touched at all, but this television in particular is covered in fingerprints. It's odd."  
   
> Yosuke is sweating.  
   
Yosuke  
"H-huh?? That's... uh..."  
   
Yosuke  
"That's the... the notorious TV fondler!"  
   
Yosuke  
("Dammit, even I know that sounds stupid...")  
   
> You lean closer to inspect the fingerprints. It's a few different sets-- the spread and size of the hands varies.  
> You tilt your head to the side. The angles of the prints are odd. There's palmprints on the plastic around the screen like it's been grabbed on to, but why would they do that...?  
  
Yosuke  
"You know, there's-- there's some guy who comes in when no one's around and touches all over the TV. I think it's a fetish or something."  
   
> He's sticking to the lie.  
> You reach out your hand to touch the TV.  
   
Yosuke  
"Don't touch that!"  
   
> ...You touch the tips of your fingers against the LCD screen.  
> Nothing happens. It's just a TV.  
> Yosuke exhales a loud sigh of relief.  
> So something was supposed to happen. Presumably, something would happen if he touched it. This must be connected to their investigations into the murders...  
> Do they use the TV to figure out where people are? Do they have to touch it to do that? Does this TV give them some kind of access to the place Adachi takes his victims?  
> You look carefully at the handprints again... they look strange. Like poorly-planted evidence. The angles are impossible.  
> The angle would suggest that the edges of the TV were grabbed by someone reaching through the screen.  
> You press your fingertips harder against it, but it's just a normal TV screen...  
> Why this TV specifically? The others are all untouched. It can't be that only this television has magical properties; as far as you know, all televisions can display the Midnight Channel, as long as the conditions are met. The legend doesn't say 'go to Junes at midnight...'  
> The legend also doesn't say anything about televisions being used as portals.  
> Why would it work for Yu Narukami and his friends and Adachi, but not for you? Is there some trick to it?  
> Have they all made some kind of deal with Izanami to acquire the same power that Adachi has? What is that power, exactly? It allows them to climb in and out of the television to access a place where no one can find them, where it's possible to kill someone without a cause of death...?  
> Adachi is always wandering off to Junes, but someone would have seen him carrying people over here and taking them through a TV-portal.  
> Also, if Izanami gave Adachi the power to use these portals and to kill without evidence, why would she give anyone the power to combat him?  
> Did someone else give them that power? The only other supernatural thing in town you know about is the fox that may or may not be literally Inari.  
> There are still a lot of pieces of this that you don't understand.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san!"  
   
> !!  
> Somehow, Yu Narukami managed to sneak up behind you.  
> You turn around, arranging your face into a pleasantly surprised smile.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Oh, hello."  
   
> He beams at you like this is the best day of his life.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's nice to see you out!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Nice to see _him?_ And what am I, chopped liver?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I saw you at school today."  
   
> Yosuke looks sour.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It is nice to see you now, too, though."  
   
Yosuke  
"Whatever."  
   
> Adachi is nowhere in sight... it's just Yu. Did he follow the two of you here?  
> His eyes flick to the TV behind you briefly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, are you shopping for a new TV?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"No, just investigating this one. Hanamura says you have a rogue TV fondler. We police take these sorts of things very seriously."  
   
> Yu laughs and looks at Yosuke.  
> Yosuke waves his hands in a desperate helpless _I don't know_ sort of gesture.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm glad you're on the case."  
   
> While he's ogling you, his eyes fix on your basket.  
> He frowns.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, are you... grocery shopping?"  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Yes."  
   
> His frown deepens.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That's not a lot of food."  
   
> Why is he staring at you so intensely?  
> Your food isn't any of his business...  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I don't need a lot of food."  
   
> He fixes you with a sharp stare. You feel an uncomfortable jolt...  
> It feels like he's looking right through you.  
> You are suddenly keenly aware of the fact that he is taller than you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"How often do you typically go grocery shopping, Yagami-san?"  
   
> You shouldn't say "never."  
> What's a normal amount of times to go grocery shopping? Every two weeks...? No, that's too infrequent. Your mother was out all the time, but that seems excessive.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Once a week."  
   
> That seems like a reasonable frequency. It's less frequent than Misa, but she only goes shopping twice a week because she's constantly forgetting things she was going to get.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"These are your groceries for this week?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Yes...?"  
   
> He plants his hands on his hips.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, I'm concerned about your eating habits."  
   
> Yosuke looks uncomfortable on your behalf.  
   
Light Yagami  
"You don't know anything about my eating habits, how could you possibly be concerned about them?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Maybe you could tell me about them, so I know for sure I don't need to be concerned. When was the last time you ate?"  
   
   
> You wish he would blink more often. His stare is unnerving.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I had dinner last night."  
   
Yosuke  
"Seriously?!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You haven't eaten anything today?"  
   
> You told the truth without thinking it over.  
> You didn't anticipate such an over the top reaction. Both of them look alarmed.  
> It was common at university for people to eat only one meal a day or less... Ditto the investigation team at the old headquarters; L ate constantly because he didn't like meals, and everyone else was too tense and busy to eat much during the day.  
> You've never liked eating more than is necessary. You eat enough to stay alive, but you don't see the point in going out of your way to eat more than that... it takes up time you could be using to do other things.  
> Since you quit tennis in junior high, you haven't been particularly active. Since you graduated from university, you hardly go outside at all, so you never really work up an appetite. You have even less of an appetite when you're stressed.  
> One meal every other day seems reasonable to you, considering the circumstances... but it makes sense that it would sound unreasonable to Yosuke and Narukami.  
> You decide to play it off like you misspoke.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Oh, no, I forgot about breakfast."  
   
> They don't seem convinced.  
> Narukami keeps gazing intently at you and presses on with his interrogation.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"What did you eat for breakfast?"  
   
> You haven't eaten breakfast since junior high.  
> Only children eat breakfast.  
> ...Ryuzaki ate breakfast; waffles and pancakes and fruit and cinnamon rolls, everything encrusted with cream and three different kinds of sugar in one nauseating soggy pile of syrup. It was disgusting.  
> This conversation is veering into unfamiliar territory... you never anticipated needing to know exactly what an average adult man would eat for breakfast. You've never seen anyone being badgered about their eating habits, so you're not entirely sure what the most natural way to behave in this situation is...  
> At this point, avoiding the question will come across as defensive and avoidant, which will only further cement Narukami's concern...  
> You are going to have to guess. You hate guessing.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Toast."  
   
> He looks at you expectantly, apparently waiting for the rest of your breakfast.  
> Just how much food does he think you ought to be eating?  
   
Light Yagami  
"...And an egg."  
   
Yosuke  
"Even your lie about what you ate for breakfast is sad... toast and an egg? Are you in prison or something?"  
   
> It seems that you paused for too long, and they know you lied about eating breakfast.  
> How did you get yourself into this situation...? What's the most natural way to get out of it? Now they're both convinced you have a serious problem, and continuing to lie to try to get them to back off seems unlikely to work.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't feel hungry in the mornings. I often only have time for coffee before work."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I know that detectives often neglect to attend to their own personal wellbeing while they are pursuing justice... it's a stressful job, and it takes up a lot of your time. Dojima and Adachi miss meals a lot, and neither of them know how to cook..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"But it's important to eat a steady and nutritionally-balanced diet even when you're busy. You can't solve crimes on an empty stomach."  
   
> Narukami gave you a lecture on the importance of a balanced diet.  
> Keeping a bland smile plastered on your face is growing increasingly difficult.  
   
Yosuke  
"For real, dude. You can't just not eat."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I eat plenty."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Let me cook for you."  
   
Yosuke  
"Just how many people are you planning on cooking for??"  
   
> Narukami is eager to believe you have a problem because he wants to be the one to solve it for you.  
> It's an easy way to manufacture a sense of closeness... if you have a problem that he can fix, it gives him a specific reason to interact with you. Being the solution to someone else's problems makes him feel important and useful.  
> That must be why he was fishing for information about your family... he likes to be a person that people confide in.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It wouldn't be any trouble. I probably have a lot more free time than you do. Even if you're too busy to make yourself food, you should still eat."  
   
> You have no interest in making Yu Narukami feel important and useful right now.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Listen, you two, I appreciate your concern and all, but you really don't need to worry about me. I'm not wasting away, I'm just busy."  
   
> Narukami narrows his eyes at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"How much do you weigh, Yagami-san?"  
   
> ...  
> If you give them an average weight, it'll be obvious that you're lying just from looking at you. Then they'll be even more up in arms because you lied.  
> You decide to tell them the truth.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"54 kilograms, last I checked."  
   
Yosuke  
" _What??_ _I_ weigh more than that!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That's dangerously underweight."  
   
> It seems you have made yet another error.  
> You knew you were underweight, but do you really weigh less than Yosuke...?  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Both of you are making this out to be a much bigger deal than it actually is."  
   
> Narukami stares at you, eyes shining with concern...  
> It seems he's trying to decide what to say.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You should buy some actual food."  
   
> Continuing to protest will accomplish nothing. Narukami is very attached to the idea of you tragically starving.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Okay. I--"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm coming with you."  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
> Narukami follows you back to the grocery section... and Yosuke follows him.  
> Narukami ends up picking out a week's worth of groceries for you... he doesn't trust you to do it yourself.  
> Or what he thinks counts as a week's worth of groceries, anyway. It's too much food for one person. You'll have to find some way to get rid of it.  
> You can sense that Narukami is sincerely worried about you...  
> He has taken it upon himself to "fix" your eating habits. It seems that he believes you have an eating disorder.  
> At least if he's worrying about your eating habits, he's not pestering you about your job or your family.  
> Despite Yosuke and Narukami trailing around after you, you managed to acquire a burner phone...  
> You call Takada and tell her to tell Mikami not to kill anyone else in Inaba without naming Inaba specifically. You don't want Mikami to know where you are... Inaba is too small.  
> She seems annoyed that you don't want to have a more in-depth conversation with her, but understands that things are tricky right now.  
> You destroy the phone right after you hang up, just in case.  
> Watching it burst into flames in the microwave is cathartic.  
 

 **> Inaba Police Station...**  
   
> **It is October 3 rd.**  
> As you suspected... he wasn't satisfied.  
> On his way to school, Yu Narukami brought a boxed lunch for you and one for Adachi to the police station.  
> Since Dojima is his uncle, the officer at the front desk just let him walk in...  
> He puts Adachi's lunch on his desk, and holds out the other one to you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I made this for you."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ah."  
   
> You smile at him and then return your attention to your computer.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Thank you, but I don't usually eat lunch."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"On Saturday you said you don't usually eat breakfast, either."  
   
> You did say that, didn't you.  
> You sigh and rub your eyes. Just being around him is exhausting...  
> You reluctantly take the lunch from him, and make sure to shoot an uncomfortable look at one of your co-workers as you do so. You don't want them to think you're up to anything strange.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Could you check to make sure there's something you'll eat in there? If there's anything you don't like, I can make sure I avoid it next time."  
   
> You give him a flat look.  
   
Light Yagami  
"'Next time?'"  
   
> Narukami nods. He's not embarrassed at all.  
> You open the boxed lunch.  
> It's... very elaborate.  
   
Light Yagami  
"......"  
   
> This is the sort of boxed lunch that high school girls make for their boyfriends.  
> The sausages have been cut into octopus shapes.  
   
Light Yagami  
"This is..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"A lot."  
   
> Narukami pauses, then gives you a thumbs-up.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I never do anything halfway."  
   
Light Yagami  
"...I can tell."  
   
> You close the boxed lunch and set it aside on your desk.  
> You fix your bland smile back on your face... you got distracted for a moment.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"It looks good. You should get going to school now, though."  
   
> He seems satisfied with that response, and scurries off.  
   
> He brings you lunch every morning after that...  
> Eating it feels uncomfortable somehow... but you do it anyway.  
> Narukami is a good cook, it turns out. His food is better than Misa's.  
> You do not tell him that.  
 

 **> October 8 th...**  
   
> It seems that Narukami and his friends are going to perform with Rise at Junes on Monday.  
> He invited you and Adachi.  
> Both of you refused.  
> Rise tried to invite you via text, too, but you refused again.  
> You've never heard any of her music, but you are confident that it's terrible.  
> Narukami informs you, very confidently, that none of them have ever played an intrument before. For some reason, he doesn't seem to think this is a problem... even though they only started practicing on the 6th.  
> Considering there's a murderer on the loose, they spend a lot of time screwing around.  
> Shirogane is back at school, but hasn't been coming into the station at all. Apparently she's been roped into participating in their Junes performance, and their practices are taking up a lot of time.  
> You lifted some of the fingerprints off the TV at Junes and ran them using your laptop...  
> Yukiko Amagi and Kanji Tatsumi are the only ones in the system. Kanji has been arrested several times before, and the police took Yukiko's prints for elimination when they went over the Amagi Inn after Mayumi Yamano's murder.  
> Adachi's fingerprints are not on it. In fact, none of the suspects' fingerprints are on it.  
> Where does the TV-portal lead, how does it work, and what do they do on the other side? What is Adachi actually doing with his victims?  
> ...  
> Every question just leads to more questions, instead of answers...  
> Is this how L felt when he didn't know about the Death Note?  
   
Dojima  
"Hey, Adachi."  
   
> Adachi looks up from playing Solitaire on his work computer and gives Dojima a stupid-looking grin.  
   
Adachi  
"Hey, Dojima-san!"  
   
Dojima  
"I know it's kind of last minute, but are you free on Monday?"  
   
Adachi  
"Umm, maybe... why?"  
   
Dojima  
"Yu's doing this show with his friends at Junes... Nanako found out about it and now she really wants to go, but I'm too busy to take her."  
   
Dojima  
"I was hoping you could bring her."  
   
> Your back stiffens.  
> Adachi, alone with Nanako?  
> That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. How stupid is Dojima? Adachi can't even be trusted to get to work on time-- he can't be trusted with the wellbeing of a seven-year-old.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I could take her."  
   
> Dojima looks surprised.  
   
Dojima  
"Really?"  
   
Adachi  
"We could both take her. Double the supervision, double the safety!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"What?"  
   
> Adachi slides his chair up and slings his arm around your shoulders, grinning.  
> Why would he volunteer to do this? There's no way he likes children. He hates Narukami and Narukami's friends. He already refused to go to the concert.  
> Is he doing this just to bother you?  
> ...  
> He's probably doing it just to bother you. You shouldn't let him know it's working.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful New Coworker  
"The more, the merrier!"  
   
Adachi  
"It'll be a team bonding experience."  
   
Dojima  
"Yeah, I think that'd be good for both of you."  
   
> He goes back to his desk.  
> Adachi squeezes your arm.  
   
Adachi  
"Can't resist those little girls, huh, buddy?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"You disgust me."  
   
Adachi  
"Haha, yeah. I know."  
   
> Adachi slides his hand up to your shoulder.  
> Your skin is crawling.  
> You really want to hit him.  
   
Adachi  
"Wow, you really are all skin and bones. I thought Narukami was exaggerating. Gross."  
   
> You shove him off and he rolls back to his desk, snickering.  
   
Adachi  
"Aw, are you sensitive about your anorexia, Light-chan? Are you feeling bullied? Want me to call your mom to come take you home? I know junior high can be a tough time for young women such as yourself."  
   
> You decided to ignore Adachi for the rest of the day.  
> He keeps pestering you for a while, but he gets bored eventually.  
> It seems that most of the fun for him is provoking a reaction out of you, so if he can't do that then he'll lay off.  
 

 **> Your Apartment...**  
   
> There's still a lot of food in your kitchen. It's going to go bad if you don't eat it...  
> You make yourself a salad and pick at it while you do work on your laptop.  
> You zone out while you're programming...  
> A few hours pass...  
> Your phone rings, buzzing loudly on the kitchen table.  
> It's your mother's number.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Hello?"  
   
Sayu  
"It's me."  
   
Light  
"Is everything okay?"  
   
Sayu  
"Yeah, fine, I just... miss you. And I'm bored."  
   
> Her voice is soft and shaky.  
   
Sayu  
"Talking to my friends is kind of awkward, still... everyone's walking on eggshells and no one knows what to talk about. And I don't have anything to say, since mom doesn't let me do anything."  
   
Sayu  
"She brought your old Gamecube over, so I've been getting a lot of Rainbow Road practice in Mario Kart, but it's not much fun single-player."  
   
> The two of you used to play that together...when you were much younger.  
   
Light  
"Oh."  
   
Sayu  
"How are you? Anything exciting happening?"  
   
> You can't tell her about the case or Adachi...  
   
Light  
"I got mauled by a fox at an Inari shrine."  
   
> She bursts into loud cackling.  
> ...That's not what you were expecting her to do.  
   
Light  
"Don't laugh at me, it was very dangerous."  
   
Sayu  
"What did you do, spit on the offertory box?"  
   
Light  
"I didn't do anything."  
   
Sayu  
"Yeah, right."  
   
> You talk for a while about various things...  
> Babysitting Nanako, Narukami's friends trying to investigate you, the strange gas station attendant...  
> You even complain about Adachi a little bit.  
> Talking to you seems to cheer Sayu up.  
   
Light  
"Oh... I'm taking Nanako-chan to a concert on Monday."  
   
Sayu  
"They have concerts out there?"  
   
Light  
"Risette is doing a show with her friends from Yasogami High. None of them play any instruments, but they're going to try anyway."  
   
Sayu  
"Oh, Risette? I've been listening to some of her music since mom told me you two were in the same town. It's pretty catchy."  
   
Sayu  
"You should facetime me so I can watch, too. It sounds fun."  
   
> You don't really see what would be fun about it, but it seems like Sayu could use more nice things in her life right now.  
> Narukami and his friends might be aggravating, but they're cheerful and harmless.  
   
Light  
"Sure."  
   
Sayu  
"I'd like to meet Nanako-chan, too. She sounds sweet."  
   
> You talk for a while longer, then you tell Sayu to go to bed.  
 

 **> Dojima Residence...**  
   
> Today you're taking Nanako to Junes to watch Rise's concert. **It's October 10 th.**  
> Adachi arrives at Dojima's house at the same time as you, looking rumpled and bland as usual.  
> When Nanako answers the door, she's practically beside herself with excitement.  
   
Nanako  
"I'm ready!! Let's go!!"  
   
> The three of you set off for Junes.  
   
Adachi  
"So, Nanako-chan... you like Risette?"  
   
Nanako  
"Yeah! Her music is really good, but she hasn't been doing it because she's taking a break."  
   
Nanako  
"Did you know big bro and his friends are going to be playing instruments? Big bro says they've been working really hard all week to get ready!"  
   
Adachi  
"Haha... urghh... yeah, I heard."  
   
Nanako  
"I've never been to a concert before!"  
   
Adachi  
"Hopefully this one won't put you off them for good."  
   
Nanako  
"Huh?"  
   
> You glare at Adachi.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun, Nanako-chan. Just make sure you stick close to me, okay? There's going to be a lot of people there."  
   
Nanako  
"Mm-hmm!"  
 

 **> Junes Department Store...**  
   
> Before you go over to where the concert is, you explain to Nanako that you'll be video-calling your sister.  
> She gets very excited.  
   
Nanako  
"She likes Risette? Can I talk to her, too?"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"Sure."  
   
Adachi  
"Oh, boy. I hope she's cute."  
   
> The thought of Adachi talking to Sayu makes you want to rip his throat out.  
   
Light Yagami  
" _You're_ not going to talk to her."  
   
Adachi  
"You're just going to pretend I'm not here? That's cold. I thought we had something special, Light-chan."  
   
Light Yagami  
"We don't."  
   
Nanako  
"Are you two fighting...?"  
   
Adachi  
"N-no! No way, Nanako-chan. We're just talking."  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"Don't worry about it, Nanako-chan."  
   
> You call Sayu and the three of you walk over to where the concert is going to be.  
> There's a lot of people here, as you expected; Nanako is too excited to be nervous, but you try to keep an eye on her anyway. Adachi's not going to, and you don't want to lose her in the crowd.  
   
Sayu  
"Heya!"  
   
> The video quality is bad, and it's difficult to hear her over the hubbub of the crowd, but... there's your sister.  
> She looks exhausted, but she's smiling. She looks like she's in her pajamas... her hair is up and she's wearing a t-shirt, and she usually dresses nicer for school these days.  
> Seeing her again is strange.  
   
Light  
"Hey, Sayu."  
   
Sayu  
"I haven't seen your face in forever! You look terrible!"  
   
Light  
" _You_ look terrible."  
   
> Sayu makes a face.  
   
Sayu  
"That's because I'm not wearing any makeup."  
   
Sayu  
"Anyway, enough of your ugly mug. Introduce me to Nanako-chan."  
   
> You hand the phone to Nanako, who smiles brightly at Sayu.  
   
Nanako  
"Hello!"  
   
> You can't hear what Sayu says, but the two of them seem to be getting along...  
> When Nanako hands you the phone back, Adachi leans over to try to get a look at Sayu.  
> You push him away.  
   
Adachi  
"Aw, come on, Yagami, don't be a cockblock."  
   
Sayu  
"Who's that weird dude?"  
   
Light  
"That's my awful coworker."  
   
Adachi  
"Tohru Adachi, nice to meet ya."  
   
Sayu  
"..."  
   
> Sayu looks at him with such unfiltered disdain that Adachi actually looks uncomfortable.  
   
Sayu  
"No thanks."  
   
Adachi  
"Ouch. Rejected off the bat... I didn't even ask anything!"  
   
> You take a step away from Adachi so that he is no longer in range of your sister, then turn the camera so it's facing the stage.  
> Rise and the rest of Narukami's friends step out. Surprisingly, they don't look nervous.  
> You can tell already that this is going to be a disaster.  
> Some of the instruments are normal, but... Yukiko has a saxophone, Chie has a trumpet, and the strange animal mascot is holding a tambourine. Just what kind of music are they planning to perform...?  
> Nanako tugs on your jacket.  
   
Nanako  
"Are they up there? I can't see anything..."  
   
Light  
"Want to sit on my shoulders?"  
   
Nanako  
"Yeah!!"  
   
Adachi  
"You sure you can lift her with your knobbly skeleton arms?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"I do not have knobbly skeleton arms."  
   
Adachi  
"I'm just saying, it seems unsafe. What if there's a strong wind and you get blown away?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not that thin."  
   
> You hand Nanako your phone and hoist her up onto your shoulders.  
> She's a little bit heavier than you anticipated...  
   
Nanako  
"Oh!! There they are!! Everyone looks so cool!"  
   
> She waves excitedly, but it seems like none of them see her.  
   
Adachi  
"They're just wearing their school uniforms, Nanako-chan."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Stop trying to ruin her fun."  
   
Adachi  
"I think her fun's going to ruin itself. Amagi's got a _saxophone._ "  
   
Nanako  
"Light, what's big bro playing? Is that a guitar?"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"It's a bass."  
   
Adachi  
"Like the fish."  
   
Nanako  
"Huh?"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"No, not like the fish. A bass has four strings, and the guitar has six. The bass makes lower sounds than the guitar does."  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"The fish is pronounced /ˈbæs/, and the instrument is pronounced /ˈbeɪs./"  
   
Nanako  
"Oh, okay."  
   
> Rise taps the microphone and clears her throat.  
   
Risette  
"Hi everybody!! Thanks for coming!"  
   
Adachi  
"Well, here we go."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Why did you even come?"  
   
Adachi  
"To bother you. Seems like I'm doing a pretty good job so far."  
   
> He says something else, but he's drowned out by the awful cacophony onstage.  
   
> ...  
> The performance is terrible.  
> Adachi disappears at some point. You don't notice until he's gone. Besides him, you seem to be the only person who didn't enjoy the show... the crowd calls for an encore.  
> Narukami, Yosuke, and Kanji leap off the stage and hit the ground hard. Narukami lands in a stupid pose, but the other two do not. Yosuke hits his head pretty hard. His friends have to help him to his feet.  
> They laugh it off, but he looks dizzy...  
> He might have a concussion.  
   
Nanako  
"Wow!! That was so cool!!"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"That was very dangerous. Never do anything like that, Nanako-chan."  
   
> The crowd starts to filter out of the food court...  
> You don't see Adachi anywhere.  
> How suspicious.  
   
Nanako  
"Let's go say hi!!"  
   
> You don't want to go say hi, but you carry Nanako over to where Narukami's friends are clustered in front of the stage.  
> They're all breathless and excited. They seem to think they did a very good job.  
> At least Shirogane has the sense to look a bit embarrassed.  
> You take Nanako off your shoulders and retrieve your phone so she can go run and hug her cousin.  
> Narukami looks happy to see her, and you.  
   
Nanako  
"Big bro, that was amazing!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I saw you and Adachi in the crowd!"  
   
Rise  
"I thought you weren't going to come!"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"Nanako-chan was really excited."  
   
Nanako  
"You were all really good!!"  
   
> Naoto adjusts her hat sheepishly.  
   
Yukiko  
"Oh, Nanako-chan, that's so nice of you..."  
   
Strange Animal Mascot  
"I was the best, right?"  
   
Yosuke  
"C'mon, Teddie... Rise was obviously the best, she's the only one who actually knew what she was doing."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"What did you think, Yagami-san?"  
   
> Everyone looks at you.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"What you lack in musical ability, you more than make up for in enthusiasm."  
   
Kanji  
"Hell yeah!"  
   
> They all start talking excitedly to each other and Nanako. You step away to talk to Sayu.  
> She seems to be in a good mood, too. She's smiling.  
   
Sayu  
"They really went for it."  
   
Light  
"Yeah."  
   
Sayu  
"It was pretty terrible, but... seeing people that bad at stuff have such a good time doing it is pretty charming, isn't it? They were all having so much fun, I started to get into it, too."  
   
Light  
"As long as you had fun, that's the important part."  
   
Sayu  
"Aw, come on, don't be so sour. Surely even you must have had a little bit of fun."  
   
Light  
"Not really."  
   
Sayu  
"Pfft, you liar. Nobody could watch those kids rocking out and not even smile. You'd have to be a monster."  
   
> She's joking, but...  
> ...  
> You really didn't enjoy it at all...  
> You can hear Narukami's friends whispering behind you.  
> They really have no grasp of subtlety at all.  
   
Rise  
("Pssst, Nanako-chan, who's Light talking to?")  
   
Nanako  
"His little sister Sayu! She's nice. Why are you whispering?"  
   
Rise  
("I don't want to interrupt Light's conversation.")  
   
Yu Narukami  
("His sister?")  
   
Rise  
("Oh... Senpai, you said he said she wasn't well, right?")  
   
Nanako  
("Huh? Not well...?")  
   
Yosuke  
("I thought you said she got kidnapped by the mafia... which I still think is a lie he told you.")  
   
Yu Narukami  
("Why would he lie about that?")  
   
Naoto  
("According to my research, Sayu Yagami was kidnapped and held for ransom by the US mafia. The culprits were later killed in a massive police raid that ended in a mafia hideout exploding.")  
   
Nanako  
"!!?"  
   
Teddie  
"Explode??"  
   
Chie  
("Yosuke!! Naoto-kun!! You can't say that kinda thing around Nanako!")  
   
> Do they really think that you can't hear them, too?  
   
Yosuke  
("Sorry!! Sorry, Nanako-chan!!")  
   
Nanako  
"Is she okay...?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
("Probably...")  
   
Naoto  
("Sh-she was rescued, of course... but...")  
   
Chie  
("No buts!!")  
   
Naoto  
("But...")  
   
Teddie  
("Sensei, what's the mafia?")  
   
Yu Narukami  
("It's... a bit complicated.")  
   
Yosuke  
("It's like the yakuza, but in America... right?")  
   
Kanji  
("Nah, it's different.")  
   
Naoto  
("In the late 19th century in New York City, Sicilian and Italian immigrants...")  
   
Chie  
("Too much information! The mafia are bad guys. They're really bad criminals from America.")  
   
Naoto  
("That's oversimplifying quite a bit, Chie-senpai.")  
   
Chie  
("She's seven!")  
   
Yukiko  
("Mafia are the ones who say, 'say hello to my little friend' and 'this whole town's a p--")  
   
Chie  
"YUKIKO, NO!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Shhhh!!!"  
   
Kanji  
("Huh? This whole town's a what?")  
   
Rise  
("Anyway... this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get some sweet insight on Light Yagami's home life... I'm gonna go for it!")  
   
Chie  
("G-go for what??")  
   
Rise  
"Liiiiiight!! I want to meet your sister!!"  
   
> Rise waves at you with both hands. You sigh.  
   
Sayu  
"Of course Risette would want to meet me the one day I don't put on any makeup..."  
   
Light  
"Shall I tell her to leave you alone?"  
   
Sayu  
"No way!! Then she'll totally forget about me!"  
   
Light  
"I don't want you to get overwhelmed."  
   
Sayu  
"Light!! Give Risette the phone!!"  
   
> You give Rise your phone, reluctantly.  
> Everyone looks awkward. You consider telling them you could hear everything they were saying, but that wouldn't accomplish anything.  
   
Rise  
"Hi hiiii!! Risette here! Oh my gosh, you're so cute!"  
   
> She's very energetic.  
> Hopefully she's not too much for Sayu in her current state...  
   
Yosuke  
"Urgh, you guys... I think I need to sit down. I feel sick."  
   
Chie  
"You did hit your head pretty hard..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You can lean on me."  
   
> Yosuke reddens.  
   
Yosuke  
"Uh... I think I'd rather just go sit down and get some food or something... I feel dizzy..."  
   
> If he is experiencing dizziness and nausea, it's possible Yosuke has a concussion.  
> As the only adult in the vicinity, you should probably check.  
   
Yukiko  
"Let's all get dinner!"  
   
Nanako  
"C-can we eat here at Junes??"  
   
> She and Narukami both look at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I can take her home if you need to head out."  
   
> He looks at you for a long moment.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I would like it if you stayed, though."  
   
> You can't leave until you get your phone back, and you probably shouldn't leave these irresponsible kids in charge of a seven-year-old and someone with a concussion.  
> It seems you have no choice...  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'll stick around for a bit."  
   
> Everyone seems really excited about this. The one in the bear costume, Teddie, actually says _yee-haw_.  
> Everyone walks behind the stage to the Junes food court, talking loudly. They seem like good friends. Even though Narukami has been in town for less than a year, they seem to know each other very well.  
> Yosuke sits down first and groans.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Hanamura-san, you might have a concussion."  
   
Teddie  
"Please, call him Yosuke."  
   
Yosuke  
"Teddie, you can't just decide those kinds of things on my behalf!!"  
   
Teddie  
"...? I can't?"  
   
Yosuke  
"No! You can't!"  
   
> You clear your throat loudly.  
   
Light Yagami  
"If you don't mind, I'd like to check to see if you're concussed. If you are, you should see a doctor."  
   
Yosuke  
"I guess..."  
   
> He seems uncomfortable and reluctant, but he doesn't have a good reason to refuse.  
> You pull up a chair and sit across from him so you can look him in the eyes. Everyone else crowds around the table. How Rise and Sayu can carry on any kind of conversation with all this racket is a mystery to you.  
> It's difficult to tell if Yosuke can focus his vision, because he is deliberately avoiding eye contact with you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Do you know what day it is?"  
   
Yosuke  
"It's Monday."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Can you remember what you were doing before you hit your head?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah, I can. This is stupid."  
   
> The longer you look at him, the redder he gets.  
> You hold up a finger.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Please focus your eyes on my finger and follow its movements with your eyes, keeping your head still."  
   
Yosuke  
"I'm _fine,_ I'm just... the adrenaline's all... y'know?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Indulge me."  
   
> Across the table, some of the others are looking at you with interest...  
   
Kanji  
"Man, no fair. I wish _I_ had a concussion."  
   
Chie  
"What?? Don't be stupid."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"A concussion..."  
   
Chie  
"You're giving him ideas!"  
   
> Yosuke looks even more embarrassed and uncomfortable.  
> He is staring at his hands, now.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Yosuke, please."  
   
> His entire face goes bright red and he makes a horrible choking noise.  
   
Yosuke  
"F-fine! Whatever!"  
   
> He stares at your finger. As you slowly move it around, you can see his eyes unfocus... he blinks a few times and obviously struggles to follow the movement of your hand.  
> It seems that he does indeed have a mild concussion.  
> You drop your hand and straighten up.  
   
Yosuke  
"So??"  
   
Light Yagami  
"You should go to the hospital."  
   
> He groans.  
   
Chie  
"Serves you right for jumping off the stage like that!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'll take you to the hospital, Yosuke."  
   
Yosuke  
"I can take myself to the hospital!"  
   
Naoto  
"That would be unwise."  
   
Yosuke  
"Ugh!! This is so lame!"  
   
Nanako  
"If there's something wrong, you should see a doctor as soon as possible!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Nanako-chan, you're so smart."  
   
> Yosuke slumps in his chair.  
   
Yosuke  
"I guess... if someone's gotta take me to the hospital... then... partner..."  
   
> Every word out of his mouth sounds like a struggle.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Shall I carry you?"  
   
Yosuke  
"No!"  
   
> Yosuke looks horrified. Narukami takes it in stride.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Alright. Nanako, would you mind coming with me and Yosuke to the hospital?"  
   
Nanako  
"I can come! It's good to have company, because hospitals are scary, right?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Nanako-chan... you're so pure..."  
   
Teddie  
"Teddie will come, too!"  
   
> Meanwhile, Rise is getting along swimmingly with your sister.  
   
Rise  
"Sayu-chan, you should totally give me your phone number!"  
   
Sayu  
"Oh... actually, I don't have a phone. I'm using my mom's right now."  
   
Rise  
"Whaaat?? You have to have a phone!"  
   
Sayu  
"I had a phone, but it... um... they took it... when I got kidnapped."  
   
Rise  
"That sucks! How come you haven't gotten a new one?"  
   
Sayu  
"I've been living with my mom, and she's been really anxious about making sure I don't get overwhelmed."  
   
Rise  
"That's stupid. I'll send you a phone! Give me your address and I'll have my agency mail you one of my spares. I have _so_ many phones."  
   
> Yosuke refuses to leave until after dinner, so you all get food...  
> Dinner is lively. Everyone bickers a lot. Naoto is the only one who seems uncomfortable, and even she relaxes after a few minutes.  
> Rise tries to talk to Sayu and eat, but she finally hangs up after nearly dropping your smartphone into her food.  
> You don't see any sign of Adachi... you don't know why he wandered off or where he went.  
   
> Narukami promises to take Yosuke to the hospital, tries again to convince Yosuke to let him carry him to the bus stop, and everyone disperses.  
 

 **> October 12 th...**  
   
> Yu Narukami texts you in the early evening.  
   
Yu Narukami  
Midterms start soon!! I won't be able to make lunch this week. pls eat lunch anyway  
   
Yu Narukami  
 ++ wish me luck? (;;oДo)  
   
Yu Narukami  
Also yosuke had a mild concussion but he is going 2 be ok!!  
   
Light Yagami  
Good luck on your exams :)  
   
> You also receive a series of text messages from an unknown number...  
   
Unknown Number  
its sayu!! the phone rise sent me is really nice! pink, but still a nice phone. ill put a case on it  
   
Sayu  
mom was kind of mad, but since its from risette she softened up lol  
   
> If Sayu has a phone, it's that much easier for Mello or someone like him to find her...  
> On top of that, communicating with a lot of people could be overwhelming for her in her fragile state.  
   
Light  
Are you sure it's okay to have a phone? Don't stress yourself out unnecessarily  
   
Sayu  
its more stressful not being able to talk to anyone..... srsly don't fuss so much its not like you lol  
   
> It's raining...  
> You check the Midnight Channel, but all you see is static.  
 

 **> October 22 nd...**  
   
> You've put it off for long enough...  
> You're going to break into Adachi's apartment today.  
> You know his schedule and habits well enough now that you're confident you can do it without getting caught.  
> You've never broken into anywhere before, but you know how it works. It can't be that difficult to put it into practice.  
> You leave work after lunch, telling Dojima that you have to attend to a family emergency. You look very urgent, so he lets you go without asking any questions.

  
**> Adachi's Apartment...**  
   
> Picking the lock to Adachi's front door is simple. There's no one around, so you're able to slip in completely undetected. They don't even have CCTV in the hallways.  
> Adachi's apartment is small and empty. As with his desk, he has no personal effects and a lot of garbage. There's wrappers and crumpled-up pieces of paper littering the floor near a trash can, as though he tried to throw them into the bin, missed, and couldn't be bothered to pick them up and put them in. He has no posters or knickknacks... it looks a bit like your apartment, but smaller and with more trash.  
> There's a low table in front of a large TV... Adachi's laptop is sitting on the table. You tug on the gloves you brought and open it. It asks for a password, as you expected; you plug in the passcode cracker that you brought with you, and look around the apartment while it runs.  
> You rifle through his drawers, but you don't find anything incriminating. He doesn't own much. There's no bloodstained clothing, and there's no murder weapons, either. He doesn't seem to keep a diary and-- unusually for a serial killer-- he doesn't keep any trophies from his victims.  
> There's some porn under his futon. It's the "barely legal teens" type... you don't want to touch that, so you leave it be.  
> His kitchen is mostly empty. The fridge is full of tupperware... a lot of the food in the plastic containers is moldy. You suspect this is food Narukami made for him. Besides the plastic containers, there's just a few cans of beer.  
> You close the fridge. How can he live like this? At least throw away the moldy food... you can't begin to comprehend someone so lazy.  
> You sit in front of his laptop and look around his files.  
> His computer is a bit slow... it's an older model, and the hard drive is nearly full.  
> Adachi's computer has a lot of violent video games and even more violent porn. Predictable.  
> All of his emails are spam, work-related, or automatic newsletters and coupon offers... apparently he doesn't keep in contact with any friends or family.  
> It seems that he didn't upload those pictures of Rise he stole anywhere. You scrub them from his hard drive.  
> Besides the incredibly violent porn, you can't find anything on Adachi's laptop that connects him to the murders even indirectly... how frustrating.  
 

 **> Assignment 03 - Erase Adachi's Data: Case Closed.**  
   
> You close Adachi's laptop and stand up.  
> It can't be that there's absolutely nothing useful here... you decide to look around once again, just to make sure you didn't miss anything.  
> ...  
> The door opens behind you.  
> You freeze.  
> There's a pause, then a soft exhaled laugh.  
   
Adachi  
"I'm home, dear."  
   
> He drops his plastic shopping bag on the floor with a flick of his wrist, sending it sliding across the hardwood floor. Then he leans on the wall and kicks off his shoes, smiling at you all the while.  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Welcome back?"  
   
> He pushes off the wall and steps forward, tucking his hands into his pockets.  
   
Adachi  
"You know, breaking into a detective's home isn't a very smart idea, Light. It's dangerous. You could get shot."  
   
> He says that, but he doesn't reach for his gun.  
> Adachi is looking at you with dry amusement.  
   
Adachi  
"I figured you'd be a shit criminal. Let me guess, you're deleting those pictures of Rise off my laptop like you deleted them off my phone? Took you a while. I was starting to think you'd forgotten about it."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't forget about that sort of thing."  
   
> His face twists into an aggravated grimace.  
   
Adachi  
"You think you're such a paragon of moral virtue. As if you're actually _doing_ anything. What does it matter if you delete those pictures? It's not like you're saving her from the predatory gaze of a grown man or whatever the hell it is you think you're doing. There's thousands of guys jacking it to her swimsuit shoots already."  
   
Adachi  
"I mean, personally I don't really see the appeal... it's a real turn-off when the padding is so obvious. But that's beside the point."  
   
Adachi  
"The point is, you're so fixated on protecting this one girl from me, like that's gonna make some kind of difference. Spoiler alert, Light: every guy she's ever gonna meet is the same."  
   
> His eyes flick over you and his smirk widens.  
   
Adachi  
"I mean, besides people like you and Narukami, natch."  
   
> You bristle.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not gay, if that's what you're implying."  
   
> Adachi raises his eyebrows. His smile is now wide enough to show his teeth.  
   
Light Yagami  
"And you're wrong. In this world I've created, you're a part of an endangered species."  
   
KIRA  
"I'm going to make sure you're exterminated like the vermin you are. There's no place in this world for men like you."  
   
Adachi  
" _Men like me?_ What would that be, exactly? Murderers? Criminals? Someone who uses his position of power to get himself ahead? Someone who manipulates teenagers?"  
   
Adachi  
"Hahaha, oh, wait, that's _you._ Idiot."  
   
> Adachi advances on you.  
   
Adachi  
"Man, all this time, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it."  
   
Light Yagami  
"...Huh?"  
   
> He keeps advancing.  
> But Adachi isn't looking at you. He's staring at the TV next to you.  
   
Adachi  
"Kira's Shadow... what would that look like? I'm so curious I can't stand it."  
   
Adachi  
"It would be the best one yet, I bet. I mean... it's gotta be, right?"  
   
> Shadow...?  
> You're not sure what that means. He wants to see Kira's Shadow... does this have something to do with his powers?  
> You take a step back.  
   
Light Yagami  
"What're you talking about?"  
   
> He doesn't seem to hear you.  
> Adachi is mostly talking to himself at this point.  
   
Adachi  
"Oh, man, I _reeeeally_ shouldn't. It'd be way too suspicious."  
   
Adachi  
"But look at you... anyone would be curious about what messed-up crap goes on in your convoluted brain."  
   
> The intense hatred glittering in his eyes... his twisted smile...  
> It's all very familiar.  
> You see in him a twisted reflection of yourself, buzzing with hatred and overconfidence.  
> It repulses you as much as it fascinates you.  
> You feel like Adachi is about to try to either kill you or kiss you.  
   
Adachi  
"I mean, I'd actually be doing the world a favor, wouldn't I?"  
   
Adachi  
"Hahaha, I might even get a medal or something!"  
   
> He's definitely trying to kill you.  
> You're not sure why you thought otherwise.  
> ...  
> You don't want to dwell on that.  
> You discard the thought and move on.  
> Adachi is going to try to kill you.  
> This could your chance to finally figure out his murder method. You'd know for sure how he does what he does. Proof, at last.  
> He steps closer again. This time you stay where you are.  
   
Adachi  
"Yeah... after all, even by your own logic, shouldn't you be killed? Since you're a criminal?"  
   
> If you let him try to kill you, you might die.  
> The worry doesn't stick. You know with absolute certainty that you won't die.  
> A quiet calm washes over you. The confidence of invincibility.  
> You can't die.  
**> You are GOD, after all.**  
> It's impossible for someone like Adachi to kill you.  
> You are absolute.  
> Justice will prevail.                          
   
Adachi  
"Yikes, what's with that creepy face? Are you scared, Light?"  
   
> You can't stop yourself from smiling.  
> This idiot really thinks he can kill you. He oozes unearned confidence, completely unaware of his impending catastrophic failure.  
> When he tries to kill you, you'll have all the pieces of the puzzle. You'll survive, and by surviving you will win.  
> He thinks he's winning the game when actually he is conceding. You don't even need to do anything.  
   
KIRA, GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"Hh... heh..."  
   
> He's stupid enough to lose the game all on his own.  
> You cover your mouth with your hand, but it doesn't stop you from laughing.  
   
KIRA, GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"Ha-- hahahahahahahahahaha!"  
   
Adachi  
"!?"  
   
KIRA, GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"Your arrogance is truly astonishing, Tohru! You think you can kill me? _Me?_ "  
   
KIRA, GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"Do it! End the game, and watch me tear apart everything you have. Show me your method. Give me the evidence I need. Your goddess can't cast a magic spell to keep you out of jail."  
   
> Adachi's expression sours.  
   
Adachi  
"You can't arrest me if you're dead."  
   
KIRA, GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"You think _I_ would die? Whatever your gimmick is, it didn't work on Narukami's little squad. If you can't kill them, what on _earth_ makes you think you can kill me?"  
   
Adachi  
"Well, you know what they say. You want something done right, do it yourself."  
   
> He suddenly grabs you and shoves you!  
> You fall...  
> ...  
> You keep falling...  
> ...  
> You're not hitting the ground...  
> ...  
> You pass out...


	9. chapter 9 (yu)

**> Dojima Residence...**  
   
> It's raining...  
> Something may appear on TV...  
> Now that you know the killer is still out there and went after Naoto, you have to be vigilant about checking the Midnight Channel again. You haven't noticed anyone from Inaba becoming particularly famous on TV recently, but that's no reason to let your guard down.  
> You walk over to the TV to check the Midnight Channel.  
> ...!  
> As you thought! There's something there!  
> It's an extremely vivid image!  
> It opens with a tacky jingle and banner...  
 

**KIRA** **☆** **KIRA CONFESSIONAL: Shedding "Light" On "Light Yagami" !!!!!!**

  
   
> Then it cuts to a news desk.  
   
News Anchor  
"Good evening, everyone."  
   
> It's Light Yagami!!  
> He's wearing a suit that doesn't seem to fit very well...  
> Behind him, instead of a normal news backdrop, you can see what looks like... a huge church? It's a huge building with a lot of stained glass windows. Looking at it more closely, it actually looks more like a swanky office building.  
   
Light  
"Tonight we're making a special announcement. At the end of this broadcast, a brave witness will be revealing to the world... who Light Yagami really is."  
   
> At the end of this broadcast... that sounds familiar, somehow.  
> The camera shifts, and Light is sitting across from someone who's just a silhouette behind a screen.  
   
Light  
"Thank you for coming."  
   
Blurry Figure  
"Of course... this is something I have to do."  
   
> Their voice is somewhat distorted, so you can't make out who it is...  
> There's not usually more than one person on the Midnight Channel at a time. Were two people thrown in at once...?  
   
Light  
"So--"  
   
> Before he can ask a question, there's a loud clatter-- the screen protecting the guest's identity falls!  
> ???  
> Behind the screen... is another Light Yagami!?  
> Wait... you've seen this scenario on TV before.  
> There was a Sakura TV broadcast when you were in junior high... someone claiming to know the true identity of Kira went on TV, and it went just like this. You don't remember it very well... you didn't watch it yourself, just heard a lot of people talking about it after the fact. You're pretty sure it turned out to be a hoax.  
> The second Light doesn't look like the real Light. There's dark circles under his eyes, and his hair is a mess. His clothes are wrong, too... he's wearing a plain black shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. His arms look too thin.  
> You haven't seen him look quite this bad before...  
> Are they both Shadows? Is that possible?  
   
Host-Light  
"Shall we stop?"  
   
Skinny-Light  
"No. From the beginning, I knew this would be dangerous. For justice, even if I'm killed... even if it hurts... I'll give it my all until the very end. I can't stop now. I've come too far to just give up. And..."  
   
Skinny-Light  
" _He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy..._ "  
   
Host-Light  
"The show must go on. Everyone, stay with us and don't change the channel. Light Yagami's true identity will become clear soon."  
   
> The screen goes dark.  
> Your cellphone rings...  
   
Kanji  
"Senpai, did you see?? The killer got Yagami!"  
   
Kanji  
"Dammit! Even though he's a cop...! Is nobody freakin' safe??"  
 

**> "Why two Yagamis?"**

"We have to save him!"

  
Kanji  
"Huh?? Oh, yeah! Yeah, that is a lot, isn't it?"  
   
> You gently remind him that everyone else only had one Shadow.  
   
Kanji  
"Right, right. I dunno, Senpai, it's probably because he's got a lot of stuff goin' on or something. It doesn't matter! We just gotta save him! My policy is, nobody's Shadow's anybody's business!! No speculatin'! It's personal, dammit!!"  
   
> You think Kanji sounds a little defensive.  
> That's understandable, considering what his Shadow was like...  
> You tell him you accept him no matter what.  
   
Kanji  
"Senpai..."  
   
> Kanji is deeply touched.  
> You feel a little closer to him.  
   
Kanji  
"Uh... haha... a-anyway, we hafta save Yagami-san ASAP! If he's got two Shadows, we gotta move twice as fast!!"  
   
> You're not sure that's how it works...  
> But you appreciate Kanji's concern. You're worried, too.  
> It seems that Light is in a very dangerous situation... possibly more dangerous than anyone else so far. If there's enough about himself that he's rejecting to make two Shadow-selves, then it'll be that much harder for him to accept the Shadows as parts of him.  
 

"He's too beautiful to die!"

**> Tell Kanji you'll see him at Junes tomorrow.**

  
   
Kanji  
"Hell yeah! We'll save him for sure, Senpai!"  
   
> He hangs up...  
> Almost immediately, your phone rings again.  
   
Yosuke  
"Finally! It said your line was busy... Did you see it??"  
   
> You confirm that you did, indeed, see it.  
   
Yosuke  
"It was really weird this time, right? I mean... not just because there were two of him. It was like... something felt different."  
   
Yosuke  
"I mean, everyone else's have been really embarrassing so far. Yukiko was talking about getting a guy, and her underwear, and stuff... Rise's was a strip-tease... Kanji's... well, you know. But Yagami-san didn't do anything like that."  
 

**> "Yeah, it was totally disappointing."**

"I'm still worried about him."

......

 

 

  
Yosuke  
"D-dude, come on... now's not the time for your weird jokes."  
   
Yosuke  
"What I'm saying is... didn't Yagami-san's seem more incriminating than embarrassing?"  
   
> You ask Yosuke what he means by "incriminating."  
   
Yosuke  
"Seriously?! The setup with the glass and the reveal and everything was exactly like that Sakura TV special broadcast about Kira's true identity! Tarou Matsui, Misa-Misa's former manager, went on TV five years ago and revealed that he'd faked his own death to get away from Kira! The glass protecting his identity fell during the broadcast and everyone freaked out! Plus, the title was kira kira something..."  
 

**> "Let's not jump to conclusions."**

"Calm down."

 

  
> You tell Yosuke it's too early to deduce anything about Light based on that short Midnight Channel clip, and you don't have enough information to make any wild accusations.  
> He sighs.  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah, I know, I'm just saying... it's suspicious. What else could it be?"  
   
> You don't have any other ideas... but you know Light Yagami's not Kira. That would be ridiculous.  
> You tell him you can talk about theories at your headquarters tomorrow.  
   
Yosuke  
"...yeah, I guess."  
   
> You wait for a minute to see if he has anything else to say...  
> But he doesn't.  
> You say good night and go to bed.  
   
> The next morning you wake up early so you can ask Dojima if Light was at work yesterday.  
   
Dojima  
"Yagami? Yeah, of course. He left early because he said he had something he needed to do, but..."  
   
Dojima  
"Why do you ask?"  
   
> You tell him if he doesn't leave soon then he'll be late for work.  
> He looks down at his watch and swears, and then he's off.  
 

 **> Junes Food Court...**  
   
> You gathered everyone to talk about Light's kidnapping.  
> The mood is grim.  
   
Kanji  
"I just can't believe they got Yagami... he seemed so on it, y'know?"  
   
Yukiko  
"He's so nice, too... why would anyone want to kill him?"  
   
Chie  
"He wasn't on TV like the others, and we didn't get a warning like we usually get... m-maybe he hasn't been thrown in yet?"  
   
> You tell them that Dojima told you that Light left work early yesterday.  
   
Yosuke  
"That's a bad sign. Rise, Teddie, you guys came straight here, right? You didn't check the TV world yet?"  
   
Rise  
"Yeah, I... kind of didn't want to find him. You know? I don't want it to be true..."  
   
Teddie  
"I was on the clock! Doing inventory is back-bear-aching work, you know!!"  
   
> He does jazz hands and waits for you all to laugh.  
> ...  
> No one laughs...  
   
Kanji  
"Back... bear-aching? Oh, like back-breaking. Heh."  
   
Yosuke  
"It was a lame pun, but it's even lamer that you didn't get it."  
   
> You tell Teddie that his pun was un _bear_ ably bad.  
> Yukiko snorts.  
   
Teddie  
"Oh, I'm beary sorry about that, Sensei!"  
   
Chie  
"Augh, that one was even worse!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah, seriously. That one was... _claw-_ ful."  
   
Yukiko  
"Hahaha... w-well, I think-- I think these are all bear-utiful!"  
   
> Chie groans, but Teddie gazes starry-eyed at Yukiko.  
   
Teddie  
"Yuki-chan!! I can bear-ly speak! What a bear-sant surprise!"  
   
Chie  
"Seriously, stop."  
   
Naoto  
"If I had to scientifically classify this conversation, it would be... _Ursus iocus horribilis._ "  
   
> Yukiko bursts into peals of hysterical laughter.  
   
Chie  
"I don't even know what that means, but I'm betting it was a bear pun!"  
   
Rise  
"Don't you mean you're _bear_ -ting it was a bear pun?"  
   
Naoto  
"You see, the grizzly bear's scientific name is _Ursus arctos--_ "  
   
Chie  
"If y'all don't stop making bear puns, I'm-- I'm gonna kick you right in the _arctos_!!"  
   
Kanji  
"Alright, alright, everybody, let's cool it with the puns, she's gettin' steamed."  
   
Chie  
" _Thank_ you! Sheesh, you guys can be so annoying sometimes."  
   
Kanji  
"Cuz, you know, if Chie went off on everybody... it would be a grizzly scene."  
   
> The table bursts into uproarious laughter. Even the fox makes some strange yipping noises that sound like laughing.  
> Chie buries her face in her hands and groans, but when she looks up she's smiling.  
> The moment is pleasant...  
> But it passes.  
   
Chie  
"So... this means the killer's gone after two genius cops in a row. That seems really bad, doesn't it? It's like he's getting more confident..."  
   
Naoto  
"Quite the contrary. Targeting two law enforcement officials in a row could mean that he feels backed into a corner... he could believe that our investigation is closing in on the truth, and is attacking us to keep quiet."  
   
Naoto  
"Although... if that were the case, he would surely have made a second attempt on my life rather than target Yagami-san..."  
   
Yosuke  
"The killer hasn't gone after anyone twice, even though by now he knows that he's failed a lot. We thought maybe he had some rules that he has to follow, but..."  
   
> Everyone frowns, disheartened.  
   
Rise  
"Yeah... Light wasn't on the Midnight Channel before last night, and he wasn't broadcast on TV. It seems like the killer's not following the rules any more."  
   
Yukiko  
"Do you think he jumped in himself, like Mitsuo Kubo?"  
   
Naoto  
"It's not outside the realm of possibility. However... given what I know about the type of mind Yagami-san has, I believe that if he had this power he would have used it before now. He is a detective, and a genius... he would have gone in at least once before, to investigate."  
   
Teddie  
"I would remember someone like that! He's never been in the other world before, I bear-antee it!"  
   
Yukiko  
"We assumed Mitsuo might have been too afraid to jump in, but... Yagami-san doesn't seem easily scared."  
   
Kanji  
"That guy's tough as nails! He didn't even seem scared when he was getting gnawed on by the fox. Maybe he just got the power, like Senpai, and he fell in by accident."  
   
Yosuke  
"Ehh, I dunno... I feel like he'd have to be pretty clumsy to just fall into a TV. What do you think, Yu? You've spent the most time with him..."  
 

"It wasn't an accident."

**> "He's more like a kuudere than a dojikko."**

  
Yukiko  
"Huh?"  
   
> Rise giggles and claps her hands together.  
   
Rise  
"That's _so_ true, Senpai! Light's a kuudere for sure!"  
   
Chie  
"A what now?"  
   
Kanji  
"M-moe...?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Dude! Again? Quit it with the weird jokes! Now is not the time! Is this your coping mechanism or something now??"  
   
Naoto  
"I believe Senpai is just trying to keep the mood light."  
   
Naoto  
"Er... no pun intended."  
   
Chie  
"Yeah, let's not get started with the Light-light puns. We'll never get anything done."  
   
> You were trying to keep this from getting too heavy... but it seems your effort was a failure.  
> You apologize to everyone for being inappropriate.  
   
Yosuke  
"It's fine, just... stop being ridiculous for like five minutes?"  
 

Say something ridiculous.

**> "I'll do my best."**

  
Yosuke  
" _Thank_ you."  
   
> You tell everyone that as far as you know, Light is not clumsy at all.  
> Before you can add that you haven't tested this very extensively, Adachi slouches over to your table and everyone goes quiet.  
   
Adachi  
"Hey, kids. You all sound like you're having a good time."  
   
> He chews on his lower lip and coughs awkwardly.  
> When he speaks next, he seems to be addressing you.  
   
Adachi  
"Uh, so, I was wondering... have you seen Yagami-san around today?"  
   
> You tell him you haven't.  
   
Adachi  
"Oh... well, it was a long shot anyway, huh? I just thought... since I'd heard you two hung out a few times, you might know where he is."  
   
Naoto  
"Adachi-san, does that mean that _you_ don't know where he is?"  
   
> Adachi's eyes widen. He looks panicked.  
   
Adachi  
"H-huh?? Did I say that?? Oh, man, me and my big mouth..."  
   
Adachi  
"Um, I shouldn't be telling anyone this... especially since it's probably nothing... but apparently he left work early yesterday and never made it home."  
   
Adachi  
"It's way too early to say it's a missing persons case, though! I'm sure he's fine! You kids have nothing to worry about. Forget I even brought it up, okay?"  
   
> He pauses, then grimaces.  
   
Adachi  
"Seriously, I'm begging you, _please_ forget I even brought it up. Dojima-san will kill me if he hears I told people Yagami's missing."  
   
> You tell him that your lips are sealed.  
> You want to ask him when he'll have time to hang out again, but you think it would be a bad idea to put him on the spot in front of everybody...  
> Before you have a chance to say anything, he leaves anyway.  
   
Kanji  
"I can't believe guys that spacy can actually be cops."  
   
Yosuke  
"Eh, cut him some slack... I'm pretty sure before Naoto-kun and Yagami got here, he was the youngest guy in the department. On top of that, he's from out of town... that's gotta be rough."  
   
Rise  
"That's no excuse! Light's from out of town, and he's young, and he's way more together than that guy! Light's obviously better!"  
   
Yosuke  
"He got mauled by a fox and thrown into the TV world in his first month in town!"  
   
Chie  
"Those weren't really his fault, though..."  
   
> Naoto clears her throat loudly.  
   
Naoto  
"Setting that aside... it seems the most likely scenario is indeed that Light Yagami was attacked by the killer and thrown into the other world like the rest of us. This brings us to several troubling questions."  
   
Chie  
"It does?"  
   
Naoto  
"For example... what if the killer is abandoning his previous pattern? He's failed to kill all of us, so perhaps he's decided to change the way he kills. If that's the case, we lose any chance we might have to prevent further kidnappings."  
   
Chie  
"Oh... that's not good."  
   
Naoto  
"Escalating violence is common in serial murder cases... after a few murders, killing alone is no longer enough to satisfy or thrill, so they adopt increasingly extreme forms of violence to keep themselves entertained."  
   
Naoto  
"Going after a more dangerous target... breaking the pattern to throw him into the TV without warning... and the fact that Yagami-san has two Shadows... it's possible that this is the beginning of a new and more lethal pattern."  
   
Yosuke  
"Oh, shit..."  
   
Kanji  
"Instead'a catchin' him, we just made him more ticked off."  
   
Naoto  
"You could say that. However, hope is not lost. We still have the Midnight Channel programs to tell us when someone has been thrown into the other world, and it seems that the killer has not made the connection to the weather that we have."  
   
Yukiko  
"I don't know if that's true."  
   
> Everyone looks at her, varying shades of perplexed and intrigued. Yukiko seems unnerved by the sudden attention and quiet.  
   
Yukiko  
"Well, isn't the reason he throws us into the TV instead of using another method because he wants to see the Midnight Channel shows our Shadow selves put on? He's the Jigsaw type."  
   
Naoto  
"...? I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by 'Jigsaw type.'"  
   
Yukiko  
"From the Saw movies. The type of serial killer who likes to watch his victims suffer before they die."  
   
Chie  
"Oh, I get it... so you're saying he knows about the fog thing, and he chooses not to just throw people in when it's most dangerous, because he wants to watch them confronting their Shadows."  
   
Rise  
"That's so creepy..."  
   
Yosuke  
"So in a screwed-up way, it's the killer's sadism that keeps the victims safe long enough for us to save them..."  
   
> Everyone goes quiet again.  
> The atmosphere is heavy...  
> The attack on Light could be a turning point in the case... it could mean that everyone in Inaba is in danger, even people who haven't been shown on TV before. You'll have no way to predict who's going to be attacked, so you won't be able to protect anybody.  
 

 **> TV World Entrance...**  
   
Rise  
"Urgh..."  
   
Rise  
"I know he's in here, but it's hard to get a read on where exactly. I'm having trouble thinking of things that would help me track him down... Senpai, you know some stuff about him, right?"  
   
> You think back on your brief interactions with Light to try and come up with some insights on his character that might be useful for Rise's scanning.  
> The first thing you think of is his sister. He cares about her a lot... she was kidnapped, and she hasn't been the same since. He said that you reminded him of her, and he keeps offering to help you... so he's probably protective of her.  
> If he's protective of her, maybe **he feels responsible for what happened to Sayu**.  
> What else...?  
> Even though he's popular and likeable, he doesn't have many close friends. You can tell he's keeping his distance from you sometimes... opening up is difficult for him. **He intentionally isolates himself from other people.**  
> You can also tell that there's a lot of pain buried inside of him that he doesn't want anyone to know about. Sayu... his father... and there's other things, as well, that you don't know about yet. You're not sure how helpful that is, though.  
   
Rise  
"Thanks, Senpai! I think I got him!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Man... you never forget anything, do you?"  
   
> Yosuke is smiling at you with affectionate exasperation.  
 

"I've got a mind like a steel trap."

"Sorry, who are you again?"

**> "It's because I'm interested in him."**

  
   
> You don't have enough **Courage** to reveal your true feelings to Yosuke, even though you want to...  
 

**> "I've got a mind like a steel trap."**

"Sorry, who are you again?"

"It's because I'm interested in him."

  
   
Yosuke  
"You sure do. It's almost scary."  
   
Kanji  
"Enough screwin' around! Let's go save him!"  
   
Everyone  
"Yeah!!"  
 

 **> Swanky Tower Entrance...**  
   
Rise  
"This is the place... Light's in here, I'm sure of it."  
   
Teddie  
"Wow!! It's huge!! I'm sensing that this is the biggest one yet!"  
   
> It certainly looks big...  
> You're all standing outside of a towering modern-looking skyscraper. The kind that's all windows... except the windows on this are stained glass. It stretches up into the fog... you can't see how tall it is exactly.  
> You're starting to get a bad feeling about this...  
   
Yosuke  
"I wonder what that means."  
   
Kanji  
"Means it's more dangerous, right?"  
   
Yosuke  
"I mean, I wonder what it means about him."  
   
Chie  
"Brr. Huge buildings like this freak me out."  
   
Yukiko  
"All that stained glass reminds me of a church. Is Yagami-san religious?"  
   
> Everyone looks at you.  
> You tell them you have absolutely no idea if Light is religious or not.  
> Your Judgement Social Link is only at rank 3...  
> **There's still a lot you don't know about Light Yagami.**  
> You have no idea what kind of Shadows are waiting up there...  
> You're worried.  
> You try to pat the fox to calm yourself down, but it seems more upset than usual... it's growling and tense, and its tail is swishing.  
   
Yosuke  
"You okay, man?"  
   
> You tell Yosuke you're worried about Light.  
> If the tower is really tall, what if you can't get through it in time? What if the two Shadows together are too powerful?  
   
Chie  
"Aw... I-I'm sure it'll be okay! Right, guys?"  
   
> Everyone nods.  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah! This'll be a breeze! We'll get through this in one go like we usually do. Let's do it, partner!"  
   
> You can tell Yosuke's smile is a little forced...  
> But you appreciate everyone trying to cheer you up.  
> You make sure everyone is properly equipped, and you head inside the tower.  
 

 **> Swanky Tower, F3**  
   
Chie  
"Phew... the Shadows in here are tough!"  
   
> Every floor is like a labyrinth... they feel bigger than usual.  
> You're getting tired pretty quickly. You tell everyone to stop for a minute so you can have a snack and get some energy back.  
   
Yosuke  
"Rise, you having any luck sensing where Yagami is?"  
   
Rise  
"Still nothing... he doesn't feel any closer. Sorry!! I'll keep trying!"  
   
> You lean your weight on your sword and sigh... this one really is harder than everyone else's.  
   
Computer-Distorted Voice  
"There's a Shadow behind you."  
   
> !?  
> Everyone jumps, startled.  
   
Kanji  
"What the hell--!?"  
   
Yukiko  
"Yagami-san??"  
   
> Suddenly, a Shadow hits you from behind!!  
> You've been ambushed!  
> You, Kanji, Yukiko, and Naoto jump into action.  
   
Rise  
"Eh? Ehhh!?? What was that voice?? Who's there?"  
   
Computer-Distorted Voice  
"Please focus on the task at hand. I've scanned the enemy for you."  
   
> The computer-distorted voice explains to you in detail the strengths and weaknesses of all the Shadows in an aggravated monotone.  
> It seems annoyed with you, for some reason.  
   
Kanji  
"Whoa... if that info's legit, that's incredible!"  
   
Naoto  
"Rise-san, is there another Persona-user in the building with us?"  
   
Rise  
"I don't sense anyone besides us and Light!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Then who could it be...?"  
   
> You try some attacks based on the voice's suggestions...  
> It works! The information the voice gave you is accurate!  
   
Rise  
"You did it! Wow, Senpai, that was really cool!"  
   
> With all the enemies defeated, you decide to keep exploring this floor.  
   
Computer-Distorted Voice  
"I located the stairs for you."  
   
Yosuke  
"Who are you??"  
   
Computer-Distorted Voice  
"You can call me Ryuzaki."  
   
Rise  
"That doesn't really answer the question..."  
   
Ryuzaki  
"I will be assisting you in your pursuit of Light Yagami."  
   
Chie  
"Our pursuit...?"  
   
Teddie  
"Grrr... I can't smell anyone!!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Ooh, maybe he's a ghost! Ryuzaki-san, are you a ghost?"  
   
> There's no response...  
   
Yosuke  
"Looks like you offended him."  
 

 **> Swanky Tower, F11**  
   
> Everyone is exhausted...  
> You've been going through this building for what feels like hours. You all rest at the top of the stairs while Rise scans for Light.  
> Ryuzaki chimes in only occasionally... when he does, it's really helpful, but he doesn't do it often.  
> There's no sign of Light... you haven't even heard his voice.  
   
Rise  
"Senpai, I still can't tell where this ends... Light's still too far away for me to get a read on him. I'm sorry!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Augh, come _on_! How much more of this place can there be?"  
   
Kanji  
"Senpai, I don't wanna be a whiner, but... I'm beat, man."  
   
Teddie  
"I don't think I can bear it any more..."  
   
> No one even has the energy to respond to his pun. Things are seriously bad.  
   
Chie  
"The Shadows in this place are something else! It's a good workout, but... man, I think we all need a break."  
   
Yukiko  
"We've used up most of the supplies we brought."  
   
> This world seems to go on forever...  
> Will you be able to rescue Light in time if you leave now...?  
   
Rise  
"I know you're worried about him, Senpai... I'm worried, too, but we can't keep going like this. We should come back tomorrow and keep going from here."  
 

 **> Dojima Residence...**  
   
> You're exhausted from your trip to the TV world today...  
> You wave tiredly at Nanako and go straight up to your room when you get home.  
> You try to go to sleep early...  
> But you're too worried and you can't fall asleep.  
> You get up and flick your light back on... what should you do?  
 

**> Call Yosuke.**

Fold origami cranes.

Go outside.

   
> He might be asleep, but you decide to try and call Yosuke anyway.  
> ...  
> It's ringing...  
> ...  
> Maybe he's asleep.  
   
Yosuke  
"Urghhh... hey, partner."  
   
> He answered!  
> He sounds tired... you apologize for waking him up.  
   
Yosuke  
"Nah, I was awake already. What's up?"  
   
> You tell him you can't get to sleep, because you're too worried.  
> He sighs.  
   
Yosuke  
"Typical... look, we're going to save him. We haven't failed so far. We have to trust that we're gonna do it again this time, otherwise we'll all be too freaked out to do anything."  
   
Yosuke  
"Yagami's pretty tough. He can probably hold his own for a day or two."  
   
> Yosuke calmed you down a bit.  
> Your Social Link with him is still at Rank 9...  
> You feel like your relationship could become closer soon.  
> For a few months now, he's had something he wants to tell you that he keeps putting off... maybe now's your chance to ask him about it.  
> The moment seems right...  
 

**> "Is there anything you want to tell me?"**

"Are you jealous of Light?"

   
Yosuke  
"T-tell you...? Oh, yeah, I did say that, didn't I... um..."  
   
Yosuke  
"Haha... there's that mind like a steel trap. Um... maybe some other time, it's pretty late right now."  
   
> You remind him that he said it was something important.  
> Yosuke laughs nervously.  
   
Yosuke  
"That might have been dramatic of me. It's more like... um... it's not important in comparison to everything else that's going on. It's stupid, actually."  
   
Yosuke  
"You... probably don't even want to hear it."  
   
> You tell Yosuke that you want to hear whatever he wants to say, because you care about him a lot.  
> He seems embarrassed.  
   
Yosuke  
"No, this is-- it's different."  
   
> Regardless, you want him to feel like he can tell you what's on his mind...  
   
Yosuke  
"I... I'll tell you when things are settled down. After we've saved Yagami and stuff."  
 

"Why not right now?"

**> "What are you, chicken?"**

  
Yosuke  
"Honestly? Yeah. Absolutely."  
   
Yosuke  
"I promise I will tell you, just... now right now, okay?"  
   
> Whatever Yosuke wants to tell you, he's not ready to say it yet.  
> It seems it's best to leave it be...  
> You decided to let him go back to sleep.  
 

 **> October 24 th...**  
   
> For the second day in a row, everyone gathers at Junes.  
   
Rise  
"Today we'll save him for sure!"  
   
Chie  
"For sure! I'm all pumped up and ready to rumble!!"  
   
Kanji  
"Me too! Ten, twenty, a hundred floors?? Bring it on!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"I don't think we could do a hundred floors. That's way too many."  
   
Teddie  
"A thousand floors!! Bring it on!!"  
   
Naoto  
"As difficult as it might be... I'll do my best to keep up, Senpai."  
   
> Everyone is ready to go...  
> Today, you'll get Light out of the TV!!  
 

 **> Swanky Tower Entrance...**  
   
Rise  
"G-guys... I hate to say this, but... the whole thing totally reshuffled!! We're gonna have to start at the beginning again!"  
   
> Everyone groans.  
> It's going to be a long day...  
 

 **> Swanky Tower, F12**  
   
> You run through the floors as fast as you can, heading straight for the stairs every time...  
> It doesn't take you as long to get up a dozen floors this time.  
   
Ryuzaki  
"You're all very slow and have poor endurance."  
   
> Ryuzaki is not very helpful today.  
   
Kanji  
"Man, shut the hell up! You're just some robot voice, what d'you know about climbin' Shadow towers??"  
   
> You tell Kanji not to yell at Ryuzaki.  
   
Ryuzaki  
"If yelling at me makes you feel better, by all means, continue. It is somewhat entertaining."  
   
Chie  
"This robot voice is a real jerk, you guys. Rise, you still don't know who he is?"  
   
Rise  
"Um, not really... I think he must be one of Light's Shadows, though."  
   
Yukiko  
"Why would a Shadow help us? All the other Shadows have done their best to impede our progress."  
   
Chie  
"Yeah, Naoto-kun's called us intruders and locked all those doors and stuff."  
   
Naoto  
"He's also using an alias... isn't that working at cross-purposes with the Shadows' usual brutal honesty?"  
   
> That's true.  
> Maybe Ryuzaki is...  
 

**> ...someone important to Light.**

...Light's alter-ego.

...a ghost.

  
   
Yosuke  
"Oh, yeah! When we went to the shopping district that first time, we heard voices... like Saki's dad."  
   
Naoto  
"Interesting... you're suggesting this 'Ryuzaki' is a Shadow version of someone who is or was a person who helped shape Yagami-san's perception of himself in some way. I hadn't considered that, but it would make sense."  
   
> Sometimes other people heavily influence who you are and how you think about yourself...  
> Yukiko and Chie look at each other at the same time, then smile awkwardly.  
> So Light has someone like that. "Ryuzaki."  
   
Naoto  
"But for someone to influence his sense of self to such an extent that he manifests as a Shadow entity... what kind of a relationship would they have...?"  
   
> All you know about Ryuzaki is that he's rude, and he's helping you find Light.  
> You don't even know for sure that he's a man... since you don't know what his voice actually sounds like, or what he looks like...  
> Based off what you know, you think Ryuzaki would have to be...  
 

**> A family member.**

A lover.

An enemy.

  
> You tell everyone that you suspect Ryuzaki might be a member of Light's family.  
> That's the only relationship you think could be close and influential enough to be a big enough part of his identity to manifest as a Shadow. Saki's world had voices of her family members, after all.  
   
Naoto  
"His immediate family consists of his mother, Sachiko; his sister, Sayu; and his deceased father, Soichiro. No one named Ryuzaki..."  
   
Rise  
"Well, I know for sure it's not Sayu-chan. She's not anything like this weird robot."  
   
Ryuzaki  
"Ryuzaki isn't my real name, of course."  
   
Yosuke  
"Of course not. Why would you be using your real name? That would be normal and helpful."  
   
Chie  
"Why would a family member be using a fake name?"  
   
Kanji  
"Why would _anybody_ be usin' a fake name?"  
   
> Everyone goes quiet, frowning thoughtfully.  
> You decide to keep moving while you try to figure it out.  
   
> Swanky Tower, F18  
   
Yosuke  
"We've got to be almost there, right?"  
   
Ryuzaki  
"Not at all."  
   
Rise  
"I think... wait-- the twenty-fifth floor! He's on the twenty-fifth floor!"  
   
Chie  
"We're sort of kind of almost there, then... only seven floors to go!"  
   
Teddie  
"Woohoo! Only seven to go!!"  
   
Ryuzaki  
"That's the spirit."  
   
> You check in with everyone to make sure they're feeling alright.  
> You're not picking up much money, but you can afford some healing from the fox if they need it.  
   
Naoto  
"Thanks for checking in... I am admittedly worn out, but I can manage."  
   
Kanji  
"I could do this all day!"  
   
Yosuke  
"I'm fine, but I am wondering why this world is so much more difficult than all the others... what kind of stuff is Yagami-san hiding?"  
   
Teddie  
"Sensei, are you worried about me?? No need! I'm all fired up and raring to go!!"  
   
> Everyone is tired, but determined...  
> You're going to press on, even though it's hard.  
> You squeeze Yosuke's shoulder encouragingly and he gives you a tired smile.  
 

 **> Swanky Tower, F25**  
   
> You finally made it... twenty-five floors...  
> This floor is smaller than the others... you explore the whole thing relatively quickly.  
> There is only one door...  
> You feel like there's something horrible on the other side of it. Just looking at it makes you feel uncomfortably cold... you can sense an immense power in that room.  
> It doesn't feel like the others... this one feels worse.  
   
Rise  
"Light's in there! Behind that door! For sure!!"  
   
Chie  
"We did it! Wooo!"  
   
Yukiko  
"I wasn't sure we could do it..."  
   
Kanji  
"Let's do this!"  
   
> You approach the door and try to open it...  
> But it's locked.  
> You rattle the doorknob, but it doesn't do anything.  
   
Yosuke  
"Locked? But... we came all this way..."  
   
Yukiko  
"Did we miss a key?"  
   
> There's no keyhole on the door.  
> You explored this place pretty thoroughly... you don't think you missed a key, but...  
   
Kanji  
"Maybe we can bust it down!"  
   
> You and Kanji try to break down the door.  
> It doesn't work.  
   
Kanji  
"Well, I'm outta ideas."  
   
> Teddie waddles over to the door and knocks on it.  
   
Teddie  
"Light!! Open up! We're here to rescue you!!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"There's no way that would work, Teddie."  
   
Rise  
"I'm trying to see if I can talk to him, but... it's like the room is totally sealed off."  
   
Naoto  
"Ryuzaki-san, do you know how to get through this door?"  
   
Ryuzaki  
"No. If I knew how to open that door... we wouldn't be in this situation at all."  
   
> Does he mean... metaphorically speaking?  
> If Ryuzaki had known how to open the door to Light's true self... you wouldn't be in this situation?  
> What situation?  
   
Ryuzaki  
"Yagami-kun would never have come to Inaba."  
   
Yosuke  
"What does that mean? Who are you? Why would you have stopped him from coming to Inaba?"  
   
> Ryuzaki doesn't respond.  
> You try the door a few more times... but of course it doesn't work.  
> You all decide to give up and leave the TV world for now. You've been here for hours...  
 

 **> Junes Food Court...**  
   
Rise  
"Okay, that was rough."  
   
Chie  
"I feel like I could sleep for a week..."  
   
Teddie  
"I'm ready to hibernate..."  
   
> Everyone is even more exhausted than they were yesterday.  
   
Rise  
"Maybe we should take a day off tomorrow to clear our heads and rest, and then we can try to get the door open the day after."  
   
> You know that's the most sensible course of action, but...  
> That power you felt on the other side of that door...  
> It might not wait until the fog clears to attack Light with lethal force. What if you leave him be for a day and something happens?  
> On the other hand, you don't want anything to happen to your friends. If you make everyone go into the TV when they're worn out, you'll be putting everyone in danger.  
> ...  
> You feel conflicted...  
 

**> Agree to the day off.**

Insist on going in tomorrow, too.

  
   
Kanji  
"Alright, let's do that, then... we rest tomorrow, and then the day after we go back in and rescue Yagami, whatever it takes!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Whatever it takes."  
   
Yosuke  
"That means nobody goes in alone tomorrow. I'm looking at you, partner. I know you're thinking about it."  
   
> He saw right through you...  
> You tell Yosuke you don't know what he's talking about.  
   
Yosuke  
"I'm serious. Promise me you won't try to do this on your own."  
   
> Yosuke is looking at you...  
> You cross your fingers under the table and promise you won't go into the TV world by yourself.  
> ...  
> Yosuke looks skeptical.


	10. cast into the lake of fire and brimstone

  
**> ????????????????**  
   
> ...  
> ....  
> ......  
> ...................  
> Your ears are ringing...  
> ...  
> You are crumpled on the floor and everything hurts.  
> It seems that you hit your head on something... and there is a persistent sourceless ache in your entire body.  
> You open your eyes, but you can't really see anything. Everything is blurry and your vision is clouded.  
> You blink a few times and rub your eyes.  
> ... The problem is not with your eyes. The whole room is filled with impenetrable fog.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ugh... where...?"  
   
> You sit up, but it's difficult. Your body feels heavy, and as soon as you move the pain in your head intensifies. You wince and press your fingers against your temples.  
> It's difficult to focus enough to dismiss the pain. It feels like the fog is inside of your head, as well as in the room.  
> Shit.  
> Focus.  
> You take a shaky deep breath and look around you.  
> You are reasonably sure that you are in a room.  
> There are walls, you think, and perhaps some furniture.  
> It's difficult to say.  
> You have absolutely no idea how long you have been unconscious. It must have been a while. You feel absolutely awful.  
> You're not sure you've ever passed out like this before.  
> You roll your shoulders back and take careful detailed stock of how this feels, in case you ever need to replicate this reaction.  
> While you do that, you slowly adjust to the fog. Either that, or the fog fades. You're not sure. Either way, you can make out more details of the room you're in.  
> It looks like your bedroom in the old investigation headquarters.  
   
Light Yagami  
"How... nostalgic."  
   
> It is not _exactly_ your bedroom in L's tower.  
> There is a door behind you, just where it was in the real version of the room. There is another door on the other side of the room, to the bathroom.  
> All the furniture is the same as it was in your room, but none of your stuff is here. There is no computer on the table, no jacket thrown over the back of the couch, no dent in the pillows on the bed. It's all completely untouched, as though no one has ever been here.  
> In your room, there was a wall of pristine clear windows looking out over the city. Here, that wall of windows is entirely made of stained glass.  
> The floor is shiny and reflective, like a huge mirror. Your reflection isn't warped or stretched or smudged or cracked in any way; the mirror is flawless.  
> In reality, this room was always clean and plain, too big for the handful of personal effects you and L brought to it. It never felt lived-in.  
> Now, colored light shines through the stained glass and the fog, and the room feels smotheringly full. The light reflects off the mirrored floor, colors the fog, shines into your eyes. It's chaotic and disorienting.  
> This place...  
> It feels like a dream.  
> You get up, even though it's difficult and you feel too tired to stand. You wobble, but hold yourself upright nonetheless.  
> Adachi is nowhere to be seen.  
> There is no one here except you. It seems like no one else has ever been here.  
> What is this place?  
> Is this some kind of illusion?  
> Your mind is racing... you try to stay calm. You have to stay calm. You have to think about this. You have to think this through.  
> Adachi was trying to kill you. This is his murder method. Whatever this is.  
> He transports his victims to strange dream-locations... that's the "kidnapping" part, you assume.  
> So how do you die, and how do you end up suspended from an antenna? He's not here. It seems like he doesn't transport himself here, as well. Something happens here that causes you to die. It's not that he takes you away and stabs you or something-- the bodies have no cause of death.  
> You feel sick, but you don't feel like you're about to die. This place is strange, but nothing about it appears to be dangerous in any way. There are no weapons. Only fog.  
> Perhaps the fog is poison? No, surely it would have taken effect while you were unconscious.  
> You check your watch to see what time it is, so you can estimate how long you've been unconscious. All three hands are spinning around the face of the watch, far too quickly and in the wrong direction. You try to reset it, but it doesn't work.  
> Whatever this place is, it's affecting your watch. Perhaps there's some strange magnetic field. Could that magnetic field be deadly? Again, if it was, surely you would have died while you were unconscious. The victims didn't go missing for long before they died, so whatever kills them doesn't take much time.  
> Nothing in here seems dangerous, so perhaps the danger lies behind one of the two doors. You wonder what's outside... more of L's tower? Another building entirely? Will the door even open?  
> Shit. This is creating more questions than it answers. You thought once he tried to kill you, everything would be explained, but this is too strange.  
> You walk slowly over to the stained glass windows. The colors make you feel dizzy, but they draw your eye. It's strangely mesmerizing, if frustrating.  
> The glass pieces don't form any picture. It's just abstract shapes. That's strange... usually stained glass windows illustrate something, and if they don't there is usually at least a pattern. There's no rhyme or reason to the colors. There's lots of small shards of colored glass pieced together haphazardly, as though whoever put it together was determined to actively avoid even accidentally making a pattern.  
> Looking at it annoys you.  
> You touch the glass. It's cold. Almost like it's winter outside. You can't see anything at all through the glass. What's beyond it? A city of strange mirror buildings? Nothing?  
> You wonder if you could break it.  
   
Familiar Voice  
"Yagami-kun."  
   
Light Yagami  
"!?"  
   
> You whirl around, startled, and freeze.  
> L is slouching on the edge of the bed.  
> He wasn't there a moment ago...  
> Your heart stops for a moment and your mind goes completely blank.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ryuzaki...?"  
   
> He scratches behind his ear and tilts his head to the side, looking at you.  
> You can't breathe.  
   
Light Yagami  
"What...?"  
   
> Maybe you're dead already.  
> No... you're not going to heaven or hell when you die. There's no afterlife waiting for you. You must still be alive.  
> It's not him. It's can't be him. L is dead, you are not. Thus it is impossible for the two of you to be in the same place at the same time. If there is an afterlife, he ought to be in it. If there isn't, he ought to be nowhere.  
> But there he is.  
> Hell is empty and all the devils are here.  
> Are you being haunted? Is he a ghost?  
> No. Ghosts aren't real. You aren't being haunted. Right? Could Adachi have put you here to be killed by L's ghost? That doesn't make any sense, but nothing about Inaba makes any sense. How could Adachi have known...?  
> How could he have known about any of this?  
> There are only a handful of people who could know about this room. Only a handful of people who ever saw L's face. Adachi is not either of those. He couldn't summon a ghost he didn't even know existed. That's impossible.  
> This is impossible.  
> It's difficult to think.  
   
L???  
"You seem surprised."  
   
Light Yagami  
"You're _dead._ "  
   
> Whoever-- whatever-- he is chews on his thumbnail and smiles.  
> It's just like him... how could that be? You glance around. Adachi still isn't here. What did he do? How did he do this?  
   
L???  
"They say you only truly die when no one remembers you. Since Light remembers me so well, wouldn't you say you've been keeping me alive all this time?"  
   
> This thing... speaking to you as though it's him... it pisses you off.  
> This isn't him. He's dead. He's gone. You killed him. You won't entertain this.  
> You take a breath. Inhale. Exhale. You can figure this out. It's fine.  
   
Light Yagami  
"No. You're not Ryuzaki."  
   
> He blinks, and his dark depthless eyes are suddenly glowing yellow.  
   
L???  
"No, I'm not."  
   
> You jerk back, startled by the abrupt unsettling change.  
> He doesn't seem to notice.  
   
L???  
"Yagami-kun, I'm interested to know... what kind of place do you think this is?"  
   
> You look around again, but it's difficult to look away from the strange... thing, sitting on the bed. The way his eyes are glowing... is he a spirit? A monster?  
> It looks exactly like L, down to the frayed edges of his jeans. Every detail is the same. Except for the eyes, he doesn't look like an imposter. He doesn't look dead, either.  
> What kind of place _is_ this? You feel awake, but it looks like a dream. Adachi physically pushed you, and you remember falling. He could have simply been knocking you unconscious, but you're not convinced. You fell a long way. You are pretty sure that you are physically present in this place.  
> But what is it? How did you get here? What did you fall down? Why does it look like this? Why is _he_ here?  
> You feel like you're going in circles. You feel even more dizzy. Are you dying?  
> The L replica is looking expectantly at you, waiting for your answer.  
> You comb your hand through your hair and lean against the stained glass window. The cold feels grounding.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I was sent here by Adachi, but Adachi of course couldn't possibly know about the details of this room. Even if he knew about the investigation headquarters, he wouldn't know enough about the layout of the room to create a replica this detailed. I--"  
   
> He interrupts you. You feel your face twitch into a frown. If he wasn't even going to listen to you, why did he ask?  
   
L???  
"This is a world created by your feelings."  
   
> A world... created...? Adachi has the power to create entire worlds? That doesn't make sense. How could he use that to kill you? If he were going to create a world in order to kill you, why would he create one so nonthreatening?  
> But he didn't say it was created by Adachi. It was created by... you?  
> What is this?  
   
Light Yagami  
"My feelings?"  
   
> You don't really see what any of this has to do with your feelings. Stained glass? Fog? A mirror-floor? It's more like a bad themed nightclub, isn't it? What 'feelings' is it created from?  
> How is this supposed to kill you, and what does Adachi have to do with it?  
   
L???  
"The feelings hidden in your heart. Your hidden thoughts, fears, desires... the things you hide even from yourself."  
   
L???  
"This place is a physical representation of the hidden self. Outside of this world are countless others, all formed from the darkness in humanity. The things people push aside. The things people reject. Nightmares. Secrets. Crises. Resentment."  
   
Light Yagami  
"??????"  
   
> He tilts his head to the side and chews on his lip thoughtfully.  
> After a long pause, he waves his hand dismissively.  
   
L???  
"Well, all that doesn't matter much. All you need to know is the part about _your_ hidden feelings."  
   
> You give him a flat look.  
> This doesn't make any sense. This isn't helping you figure anything out. Adachi put you here to kill you, not to put you in touch with your feelings.  
> Not-L keeps staring at you without blinking.  
> His yellow eyes are very unnerving.  
> He chews on his thumbnail for a moment, then speaks again.  
   
L???  
"I am a Shadow. A manifestation of your hidden desires."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Hidden desires, huh."  
   
> The physical manifestation of your hidden desires looks exactly like L?  
> That's ridiculous. Why would your hidden desires manifest as a person? Why _this_ person? If this is about what you want, shouldn't he be dying or begging you for mercy or something like that?  
   
Light Yagami  
"What does that even mean?"  
   
> He stands up. The room suddenly feels a little bit colder.  
> It might just be the light, but the "Shadow" looks like he's glowing, slightly.  
> He shoves his hands in his pockets and takes a step towards you. Something about that feels wrong.  
> You feel very uncomfortable. You take a step back.  
   
Shadow L  
"Don't be obtuse. It doesn't suit you. It's perfectly obvious what it means."  
   
> The Shadow looks at you the way L used to look at you sometimes, with sharp clarity and unsettling confidence.  
> You hate that face... you always did.  
> You particularly hate that face with this conversation.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Is it?"  
   
> Your voice is shaking...  
> He smiles at you.  
   
Shadow L  
"Yagami-kun... you were never as good at keeping secrets as you thought you were."  
   
Shadow L  
"There's no one else here. You can be honest. At least be honest with yourself."  
   
> You've never been anything but honest with yourself.  
> What are your "hidden desires?" You wanted to kill Ryuzaki for a long time, and that was a desire you had to keep hidden, but he is dead already. There's no other reason for him to be here.  
> You can feel your heart pounding in your throat...  
> There's no reason.  
> The cold from the window is suddenly unbearable. You shiver and move away, stepping diagonally so you maintain the distance between yourself and the Shadow.  
> You decide to change the subject.  
   
Light Yagami  
"No one else? Everywhere in your headquarters had cameras. There was always someone watching. Why should I assume this one is different? Why would Adachi send me here and not watch to make sure I died?"  
   
Shadow L  
"What makes you think he is capable of watching you in this world? What makes you think he would want to if he could?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"He said he wanted to see my Shadow, whatever that means. Presumably this means he can watch this."  
   
Shadow L  
"I think he would have gotten bored by now. You were unconscious for hours. Adachi-san has a job, he can't spend all his time watching you lie on the floor."  
   
Shadow L  
"That wasn't a very elegant change of subject, by the way. Could it be you're nervous, Yagami-kun?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"No."  
   
> You're shaking a little bit.  
> You're trying to think, but it's difficult when you're so dizzy. Thoughts whirl through your mind, chaotic and impossible to parse.  
> Hidden desire. Shadows. Is he lying? Why would he lie? Why would he tell the truth? If he's telling the truth--  
> No.  
> You refuse to entertain that line of thought. You will not reason out that hypothetical. You don't want to.  
> ...  
> Predictably, it's very difficult to avoid thinking about something that's right under your nose... the more you try not to think about it, the more you're thinking about it.  
> Your hidden desires have taken physical form, and they look like L. What do you want from L? What did you ever, besides his death?  
> Sometimes, it's true, you miss the game you played with him. But it's nothing more than an idle passing thought. It's a shallow desire, and not one you feel is particularly hidden.  
> The Shadow speaks again.  
   
Shadow L  
"Yagami-kun, do you remember the last time we were alone?"  
   
Shadow L  
"Before you killed me, I mean."  
   
> Now he's changing the subject.  
> You can hear rain pounding against the windows, suddenly.  
> Of course you remember.  
> You remember everything about that day.  
   
Light Yagami  
"You dried my feet."  
   
Shadow L  
"Mm."  
   
Shadow L  
"'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.'"  
   
Light Yagami  
"...?"  
   
> How odd...  
> That's a quote from the Bible.  
> Before he died, Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples. Even Judas, who he knew was about to betray him.  
> Jesus said to Saint Peter: _you do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand._  
> You didn't understand, at the time, what L was doing... it was too strange and intimate to even process what was happening. You couldn't think of what utility it had. What sort of angle he was playing. What the trick was meant to accomplish.  
> Is he trying to suggest that... he is Jesus?  
> He points at you with one of his long pale fingers.  
> It feels accusatory.  
   
Shadow L  
"You think you're the savior of this world. You're trying to take upon yourself the sins of humanity and purify the world. You think you're Jesus."  
   
Shadow L  
"You're not Jesus."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
   
Shadow L  
"'What you're about to do, do quickly.'"  
   
> Another Bible quote.  
> That's what Jesus said to Judas: _what you're about to do, do quickly_. No one else in the room understood, because they didn't know Judas was a traitor. Only Jesus knew.  
> _Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father._    
> He knew that he was about to die, and he let it happen.  
> ...  
> This is all wrong.  
> The rain gets louder.  
> You remember what L said that day...  
> "What a pity."  
> "We'll soon part."  
> Almost like he knew he was about to die...  
> What you're about to do... do it quickly...?  
   
Light Yagami  
"You didn't know. You couldn't have known."  
   
Shadow L  
"The whole time... I knew you were Kira. From the very start, I knew. You know that, Yagami-kun. Even if I didn't have the evidence for a conviction, it was obvious. At no point did you have me fooled. I figured out every single one of your magic tricks."  
   
Shadow L  
"Really, it would be more accurate to say that I defeated myself than that you defeated me."  
   
> You are still unconvinced that this Shadow has anything to do with any of your hidden desires. None of this is anything you want to hear.  
   
Shadow L  
"The thing is, Light... I liked you from the start."  
   
Shadow L  
"No. Like isn't quite the right word. I don't know if there is a word for it... fascination? Obsession? When I looked at you, I wanted to dissect you. I wanted to cut you open and take you apart so that I could memorize every piece of you."  
   
Shadow L  
"At the same time... I felt like I knew you already, better than I'd ever known anyone before. I understood you naturally, not logically. Because we're the same."  
   
Shadow L  
"Our game made me feel more alive than anything else I'd ever experienced... I didn't want it to end. Not only that, but I didn't want you to die. You were too interesting. I kept thinking... just a little more, and then I'll be satisfied..."  
   
Shadow L  
"But it was never enough. I wasn't satisfied with just knowing you were Kira, I wanted to know every single detail. I hadn't dissected you yet. I wasn't _done_... I was never going to be done. I could have happily spent a lifetime picking you apart."  
   
Shadow L  
"I guess the best word for it would be... love, right?"  
   
> Love...?  
> If that's love... then...  
> ...  
> It's unsettling to hear him say all of this... it's just an illusion, but it sounds just like him. You haven't heard that voice in so long, and now...  
> Love... was L even capable of such a thing?  
> Are you?  
   
Shadow L  
"So the story goes: I loved you, you betrayed me, you killed me."  
   
> _Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end._  
> You can't listen to this any more. This is stupid. L is not Jesus.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shut up."  
   
Shadow L  
"You're Judas, Yagami-kun."  
  
> Everything hurts.  
> It feels like your head is tearing itself apart. Intense stabbing pain crackles through your skull. You've never felt pain like this before.  
> He loved them to the end...  
> What a pity...  
> "He loved you" isn't an unworkable premise. The scenario the Shadow presented to you isn't implausible. But what's with this parallel? It's way too grandiose. L would never...  
> No, he would never, but _you_ would, wouldn't you? The Shadow did say he came from you, after all...  
> Jesus and Judas... only you would draw this parallel. Anyone else would say it's too much. L would probably find it disasteful. Tacky. But you...  
> No.  
> No, you wouldn't draw this parallel, either. Of course you wouldn't. You wouldn't even consider it.  
> In the story of Judas' betrayal, he identifies Jesus to the Romans by kissing him.  
> The verb used for this kiss, in Greek, was "kataphilein." To kiss fervently, passionately... a lovers' kiss.  
> You wouldn't...  
> Your legs buckle and your knees hit the floor.  
> It's not like that. It's not like that at all.  
> The room around you spins.  
> The sound of the rain keeps getting louder and louder.  
> Everything hurts.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ha-- aaghh--!!"  
   
> You always circle back around to _why?_  
> He couldn't have known. If he'd known, he would have stopped you. If he'd known, you wouldn't have won. Why would he let you do it if he knew?  
> You know why. He just told you why.  
> No... you won. You killed him. You were smarter. You were _better._  
> You can barely see through the pain.  
> Slowly, L's hand relaxes, and he stops pointing at you.  
> Slowly, he drops his hand back to his side.  
> He smiles wistfully at you.  
   
Shadow L  
"You didn't finish the story like you were supposed to, Light. It's a bit unfair. You just skipped right to the part where you killed me. You never kissed me."  
   
Light Yagami  
" _Shut up!_ "  
   
> The pain intensifies. The more he talks, the worse it gets.  
> You can't think clearly...  
   
Shadow L  
"Even though you wanted to."  
   
Light Yagami  
" ** _That's not true!_** "  
   
> He laughs.  
>  
> Everything shatters.  
>   
> You have too many reflections.  
> You're everywhere and nowhere.  
>  
>   
> Multi-colored light reflects off the floor and dances around the room.  
> Who are you?  
> W h o  a r e  y o u  ?  
> W              h           o                   a                  r                 e                      y                 o             u      
> ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  
> ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  
>  
>  
> Do you even have a true self?  
   
>   
>  
>   
   
> There are too many versions of you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"L is gone."  
   
Light  
"It's just me, now..."  
   
KIRA  
"I killed him."  
   
> Too many of you.  
> Four of you.  
> The fourth one says nothing. He just lies on the ground crying.  
> You bury your face in your arms as sobs wrack your entire body.  
> The sobbing echoes off the walls and the mirror floor.  
   
KIRA  
"Stop crying. What are you, a child?"  
   
> You only cry as a performance. You haven't genuinely wept since you were very small.  
> You stare down at the crying version of you.  
   
Light  
"Is that... really how I feel?"  
   
KIRA  
"What do I have to cry about? I am God. I control life and death. I chose to become this because weeping for the state of the world doesn't accomplish anything."  
   
Light Yagami  
"You're annoying me."  
   
> You kick him hard in the chest.  
> All of you jerk back, clutching your chest where the kick landed. It hurts.  
> He doesn't stop crying.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Gh-- !!"  
   
Light  
"Why would you do that? You see someone crying and you don't want to help? You're horrible. Even if that's not me, I should want to help him."  
   
> You hug your chest and inhale shakily. It hurts.  
> You feel dizzy.  
> This isn't you... which one is you?  
> Holding four different perspectives in your head at once is making you feel sick.  
> Especially because they're diametrically opposed to one another.  
> It's difficult to think...  
> None of this feels right.  
   
Light  
"Why don't I want to help him? I'm supposed to protect people. I'm supposed to help people. Why...?"  
   
> You scoff.  
   
KIRA  
"This thing isn't a person, it's a Shadow. It's a monster wearing my face."  
   
Light  
"A monster wearing my face? Isn't that just who I am now? I can't even remember how many people I've killed... that's more monstrous than anything else, right?"  
   
Light  
"If a Shadow is something created from the darkness in the hearts of humanity, surely Kira is a Shadow."  
   
> No...  
> Kira bares his teeth and takes a step towards Light.  
   
KIRA  
"How dare you? I was born to bring a cleansing fire that will eliminate that darkness."  
   
> You roll your eyes.  
   
Light Yagami  
"You don't really believe that. Like Ryuk said... I wasn't chosen. It was just a coincidence that I picked up the Death Note."  
   
Light Yagami  
"That kind of nonsense magical thinking is going to get you killed. 'Cleansing fire'... it's not that dramatic."  
   
> You inspect your fingernails and lean against the wall.  
> This room... it's not your bedroom any more. There's nothing in here, no furniture or anything. Every wall is solid stained glass, except for the one door behind you. In front of you. To your left.  
> ...  
> There's only one door, and it's over there. Positioning things in relation to yourself isn't really helpful right now.  
   
Light  
"It's not magical thinking if it's real. Fate is real. Shinigami can see humans' lifespans-- that means our deaths are predetermined, which means fate is real. It was fate that I picked up the Death Note."  
   
Light  
"I just wish I could go back to that person I was back then... when I deserved it. I don't deserve it any more. I was pure, then. I was better. But now I've killed so many people... the Death Note changed me. I shouldn't feel like I can kill whoever I want. I think L's right. I'm just a murderer."  
   
> Who are you?  
> None of them are you. They're all wrong.  
> Everything hurts.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I haven't changed. I'm the same as ever. I always thought this world was rotten. I've always known that there are those who deserve to die. Everyone knows that. That's what the death penalty is for. I'm an executioner, not a murderer."  
   
Light  
"The death penalty requires a trial first. A fair trial. How can I alone be completely fair?"  
   
KIRA  
"My judgement is absolute."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Trials are flawed. Juries are made up of idiots. It's better like this. I'm logical. I'm rational. I'm not like them."  
   
Light  
"Because I don't feel pity? We have juries because they're human. They're supposed to be human. They're supposed to feel pity and anger and compassion."  
   
KIRA  
"A god can't afford to feel petty human emotions. I can't be bogged down in that sort of nonsense. I have to be objective."  
   
Light  
"You've become cruel."  
   
KIRA  
"Not really."  
   
Light  
"I'm not that cruel, am I? I was never a perfect person, but... I don't think I was ever cruel, before."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Define cruel. I mean... I don't really care about killing people any more. It's not even exciting like it used to be. It's just a chore. Is that cruel?"  
   
Light  
"Yes!"  
   
KIRA  
"No."  
   
Grief-Stricken Light  
"That's a lie. I do care."  
   
> He finally speaks, shakily, without getting up or moving his arms away from his face.  
> Your voice is hoarse.  
   
Grief-Stricken Light  
"I have feelings. I'm not a monster."  
   
Grief-Stricken Light  
"If I let myself feel it, though, the guilt would destroy me."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Guilt? Ha. Why should I feel guilty for getting rid of people inferior to me? That's just natural selection, isn't it?"  
   
> You feel sick.  
> Emotion washes over you in a sudden overwhelming wave.  
> You've killed so many people...  
> The guilt and fear you see in Sayu and your mother has been replicated thousands upon thousands of times over in the families of the people you killed. The grief you've caused is unimaginable.  
> It's too much to think about.  
> You can't accept it.  
> The you on the ground goes back to wordless sobbing.  
   
Light  
"I've gone too far. I can never come back from this. I'm irredeemable."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not going to heaven or hell. Redemption is irrelevant."  
   
KIRA  
"Everything I've done has been justified. It has all been in the service of the greater good. I don't need to be redeemed."  
   
Light  
"There's nothing good about the greater good if the people close to me get hurt! Sayu, father, L-- that was all my fault! They were innocent people, good people, and they didn't have to suffer the way they did. I did that to them. How can that be good?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"People close to me? My family knows nothing about me. The Light that they interact with is a complete fiction. L is the only person who ever knew me."  
   
Light  
"I care about them. They're important to me."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Sayu and my father were nothing but pawns."  
   
KIRA  
"God loves all of His children equally. I do not have petty particular attachments to any individuals. I love humanity. All of humanity. That's why I can't stop. Only I can help humanity be rid of its disease."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Humanity disgusts me. Even now, there's those who are determined to hurt others. There's people like Adachi. I'm starting to think human nature itself is what's rotten. Everyone besides me is stupid and shallow and useless."  
   
> Kira lunges for you!  
> You narrowly dodge getting punched in the throat. You grab his wrists as he slams you against the wall.  
   
KIRA  
"You disgust me!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"What are you doing? We're the same person, idiot!"  
   
> You back away, hands shaking.  
> You're not the same. You're not like that.  
   
KIRA  
"That's impossible. I'm the real one, and all of you are Shadows."  
   
Light Yagami  
"No, I'm the real one. You're just an embarrassing figment of my imagination."  
   
Light  
"Is this what the Death Note has done to me...?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"No. This isn't what I'm like."  
   
Light  
"You're all my Shadows."  
   
> You don't feel like a Shadow.  
> You're not sure what you feel like.  
   
Light Yagami  
" _Your_ Shadow? Excuse me? You have glowing yellow eyes. You're obviously a Shadow."  
   
Light  
"Mine, too? But then..."  
   
> You have glowing yellow eyes... all of you.  
   
KIRA  
"Glowing yellow eyes doesn't mean anything. We don't have enough information to deduce anything from that."  
   
Grief-Stricken Light  
"I am a Shadow... the true self..."  
   
KIRA  
"I think we all agree that you're the least true self here."  
   
Light  
"I don't agree. I think that one's the least true self."  
   
> He points at you.  
> You point at him.  
> You're not sure who's pointing at who any more. Thinking about it makes your head hurt even more than it already does.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I refuse to have this conversation. None of you are real."  
   
> ...  
> Time passes in a blur...  
> You keep arguing with yourself and getting nowhere...  
> You close your eyes and press your hands over your face. Keeping your eyes open is too dizzying. Seeing everything from every angle at once is horrible, especially with the mirror on the floor and the strange colorful light.  
> Sometimes there are more than four of you... you keep splitting apart and reforming... the pieces of you are all jumbled.  
> ...  
> How long have you been here?  
> Even though the fog has faded, you feel worse than ever...  
> You can't remember anything.  
> Your head hurts so much...  
   
Light  
"This must be what dying feels like."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Every time you open your mouth, my head hurts more. Stop talking."  
   
KIRA  
"Every time any of you speak, it hurts my head."  
   
Light  
"I can't stop talking. This place won't let me. I'm scared of dying. I'm terrified."  
   
> You want to stop talking, but you really can't.  
> You can't stop him, either.  
   
Light Yagami  
"If you would all stop being so dramatic, maybe we could figure out what's going on."  
   
> The door bursts open.  
> You turn.  
> Of all the people...  
> Yu Narukami is standing in the doorway, breathing hard.  
> He's holding a long sword. He looks a little bit singed, and his lip is bleeding like he's just been through a fight.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san... finally..."  
   
> You can't think of anyone you want to see less than Yu Narukami.  
   
KIRA  
"You."  
   
> He puts the sword away and clutches a stitch in his side, wheezing.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Sorry... it was... harder than I expected... doing this by myself..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"What the hell are you doing here?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm here to help you."  
   
> Help...?  
> You cackle.  
> You sob into your arms.  
> You stare at him, silent and baffled.  
> You spread your arms wide and gaze imperiously down at him.  
   
KIRA  
"WHAT DOTH THE LORD THY GOD REQUIRE OF THEE, BUT TO FEAR THE LORD THY GOD, TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS, AND TO LOVE HIM, AND TO SERVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART AND WITH ALL THY SOUL."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't need your help, you little freak."  
   
Light  
"There's nothing you could do to help me."  
   
> Narukami looks at you. He looks between you. He looks through you.  
> He looks confused.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"All of you... are Shadows...? Where's the real Light?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"There isn't a real Light."  
   
Light  
"We're all the real Light."  
   
KIRA  
"I am."  
   
> The Light collapsed on the floor says nothing.  
> Vaguely, you know no one should see you like this.  
> But it's difficult to think. It's difficult to hold on to a thought.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Ah... hmm. This seems complicated."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Usually there's one Shadow, and the real person has to accept that Shadow as a part of themselves."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"So..."  
   
> He pauses for a long time, hands on his hips.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You should all accept each other."  
   
Light  
"Accept each other...?"  
   
> You keep crying so hard it scrapes your throat raw.  
> You wish he would stop crying. It's aggravating. You can't stand looking at that thing pretending to be you and weeping like a girl.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Would you stop that fucking wailing? You're repulsive. Stop behaving like a child and get off the floor."  
   
Light  
"I can't remember the last time I cried for real, it was so long ago. I don't even know if I can any more."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's okay to cry."  
   
> You feel sick. You want him to stop looking at you.  
> He disgusts you.  
> He shouldn't have come here.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Leave."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"No."  
   
> He doesn't move.  
> He doesn't come closer, and he doesn't step back.  
> He just stands there, staring at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You're tearing yourself apart."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"If I leave you alone in here, you'll die. So I can't do that. I won't."  
   
> You don't know what he's talking about, you just know that you hate him.  
   
KIRA  
"You live on this earth only so long as I allow it, Yu Narukami. You dare speak to me as though you're my friend? As though you're my equal? There was only one person--"  
   
Light Yagami  
"You're boring. Everyone besides me is so fucking stupid. Look at you. You came here alone because you think I _like_ you. You think you're _special_. You're not special. This isn't even fun any more, it's too easy. Everyone is too easy. There was only one person--"  
   
Light  
"I've become a monster! What have I done? What have I done? Oh, god, I'm a monster and no one can stop me-- there was only one person--"  
   
> A crack appears in the floor, spreading out from your feet.  
   
Light  
"He was the only real friend I ever had and I killed him. I killed him. L is dead."  
   
> Now you've gone and said his name, and the whole atmosphere changes.  
> It's like just thinking about him has broken something.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Killed?"  
   
Light  
"He's dead, but he can't be dead. It was too easy. He can't be gone. He was my only friend..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shut up! He wasn't my _friend,_ he was a tool, he was an _obstacle,_ we were playing a game and he stopped playing so he lost! He forfeited! It's his own fucking fault!"  
   
> The mirror cracks more.  
> You stare down at your broken reflection.  
> You moan feebly into your hands and shake your head.  
   
Light  
"I didn't think he would really die! I thought he would have another trick... He should have had something. He knew. He knew and he let me win, it wasn't fair! Why did he let me win?"  
   
KIRA  
"It doesn't matter. He's gone. I'm invincible. I can kill anyone I want."  
   
Light  
"I shouldn't have killed him. He was right. Kira is evil. Now there's no one left who can stop me."  
   
> Narukami is staring at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Kira...?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"If Kira is evil, so was he! He was going to execute me! He thought criminals should die, too! What's the difference, except in ambitiousness? He wasn't some paragon of justice, he wasn't _special,_ he was just another hypocrite!"  
   
KIRA  
"I am justice. What I say is right is right. L deserved to die, and so I killed him. He was human and fallible, I am chosen and pure."  
   
Light  
"Someone had to be Kira, someone had to be the monster to push the world towards something better and now I've done it and someone has to stop me now. I've gone too far. Sayu-- father-- L-- good people are getting hurt! I'm hurting them! I've lost control of the game!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Collateral damage was always inevitable! L was my enemy!"  
   
> The horrible sound of glass breaking crunches through the whole room.  
> Your reflection is even more mangled...  
> ...!?  
> You think you can see L's piercing black eyes in one of the broken pieces.  
> The manifestation of your hidden desires...  
> You slam your heel into the piece, smashing it so that you can't see anything in it any more.  
   
KIRA  
"Both of you, stop screaming."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san..."  
   
> You think he might say something else, but you can't hear him. You're barely even aware he's here. You know he is, and you see him standing there, but you also don't care. He's the furthest thing from important right now.  
   
Light  
"L was the only person who ever understood me. He's not the only person I ever cared about-- I care about Sayu-- but the _way_ I cared about him--"  
   
> Panic surges through you.  
> No...  
> You have to stop this.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Stop talking _right_ _now!_ "  
   
Light  
"He was special. He was different."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shut up!! He wasn't my friend! He was lying, we were _both_ lying!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san."  
   
Light  
"It wasn't a lie. He let his guard down. He let his feelings cloud his judgement. At least part of him didn't believe I would go through with it."  
   
Light Yagami  
"SHUT UP! I won! That's why L died! I was better, I was always better! He lost, that's all! He wasn't smart enough!"  
   
Light  
"I wasn't better. He knew I was going to kill him, and he let me. He thought I was better than I actually am. He thought I wouldn't be able to go through with it."  
   
 Light Yagami  
" _Stop_."  
   
> The ground shakes.  
> All at once, you speak, one or a hundred voices echoing off the glass walls, ripped from your throat, yours and not yours.  
   
Shadow Light  
"I am a Shadow. The true self."  
   
> You can't run or hide.  
> You can't move at all.  
> Stop.  
> Your Shadow finally tears his gaze away from his reflection on the floor and looks at you.  
> You have too many reflections.  
> They're all looking at you.  
> Stop him.  
> Kill him.  
> You can feel the words forming, feel them humming in your throat, and you are powerless to stop yourself from saying them, because it's not really you saying them, because _that's not you._  
   
Shadow Light  
"He's the only person whose opinion of me matters."  
   
Shadow Light  
"I was in love with him, actually."  
   
Light Yagami  
"No. _No. NO._ You're not--"  
   
Yu  
"Yagami-san, don't!!"  
   
> Narukami grabs your arm. As soon as he touches you, everything shatters, and the air is filled with shards of broken glass.  
**> Kill him.**  
> It cuts you. What feels like hundreds of cuts from sharp edges of mirror bloom all over your body, shredding your skin and clothing, immediately followed by the warm ooze of blood. Some of them bleed more than others. Some of them are deeper.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Don't touch me!"  
   
> The clamor around you is deafening.  
> You think you might be screaming. Someone's screaming, anyway.  
> Kill him. Kill him. Kill him.  
> Sayu...?  
> Maybe it's laughter, actually, not screaming.  
> Maybe both?  
> You are collapsed on the floor, but you're not, but you are.  
> All you are is pain and hatred and terror.  
> Kill him. Kill him. Kill him. Kill him. Kill him. Kill him.  
> Again, Narukami grabs your arm, and the touch is so revolting that your entire body jerks away from it.  
> This time, you grab a fistful of his hair and smash his face into the broken-glass floor.  
   
KIRA  
"YOU CANNOT SEE MY FACE, FOR NO ONE MAY SEE ME AND LIVE."  
   
> Your voice is a vicious snarl, not quite human.  
> Kill him.  
> Narukami twists away, so you lunge for him again.  
> You grab the back of your jacket and yank yourself back.  
> Kill _who?_ Why? What for? What's the point? What did Narukami ever do to you? He's just a kid. He's just some kid.  
> Narukami scrambles to his feet. Broken glass sticks to his clothes. Blood runs down his face from his nose, and he tries feebly to stop it with the back of one hand. He holds out the other hand, looking around at the scattered pieces of you, breathing hard.  
> He does not look frightened.  
> He will when you rip out his throat.  
> Kill him and it will all be over. Kill him and you'll win. You have to kill him.  
> You _want_ to kill him, with a fierce intensity.  
   
Light  
"Stop it!"  
   
> He puts himself between you and Narukami, arms out, trying to block you from getting any closer.  
> Your wheezing laughter sounds maniacal, even to yourself, but you don't really care. It doesn't matter any more.  
> Thirty-nine, thirty-eight, thirty-seven...  
> You stare him down, and his yellow eyes bore back into yours.  
> Neither of you move.  
> Behind him, Narukami is warily stepping back, fumbling with one hand in his pocket, keeping the other pressed to his bleeding nose.  
> He pulls out a small stone and presses it against his neck. It glows faintly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm not sure I understand, but whatever it is you're rejecting-- all of this-- you have to accept it, Yagami-san."  
   
> You can barely hear him over the cacophony ringing in your ears.  
> He hasn't drawn his sword, still. He doesn't want to-- has no intention to-- hurt you.  
> Kill him.  
> The other you stands steady, keeps staring you down steely-eyed and furious.  
   
Light  
"Stop."  
   
> Kill him.  
> Doing it once wasn't enough.  
> Once the light was gone from his eyes and he went limp and he was finally dead you realized that you didn't get any follow-up. It was perfect, but only for a second.  
> You want him to die over and over and over again. You want to see that terrified moment of realization a thousand more times. The flicker in his eyes. Every single thought broadcast across his contorted face. He was in too much pain to speak, choking on some final pretense, some last desperate accusation.  
> You punch your other self in the gut, grab him by the hair, and fling him across the room.  
> It hurts you, too. You feel scrapes from the broken floor dragging over your face and your side, more blood sliding over your skin.  
> Narukami looks worried. Not frightened. He moves towards you, not away.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, you have to stop ripping yourself into pieces. You'll die."  
   
> You refuse to accept any of this.  
> Pain rockets through your body and you collapse, no longer able to stand, screaming.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Please just--"  
   
> You slam your fist into the broken glass floor and snarl something that's not words.  
> He goes quiet. Not that it makes much of a difference, what with all the screaming.  
> Your breathing is ragged. You're bleeding all over.  
> Think. This isn't who you are. This isn't what you're supposed to be. _Think._  
> This is how Adachi kills you.  
> Even if you don't die, because only Ryuk can kill you, you will keep ripping yourself in half into smaller and smaller pieces. You will keep shattering until there's nothing left of you to break. Just dust. It will probably be excrutiatingly painful.  
> You have to put yourself back together.  
   
Light Yagami  
"...Hahhh."  
   
> You go still, breathing hard and dripping blood on the floor.  
> If you keep as still as possible, it doesn't hurt as much.  
> Who are you?  
> You are a collection of broken pieces of a person who used to exist.  
> Light Yagami... Kira... both of these are complicated concepts, not really people.  
> They're both constructs created by your interactions with other people, but they're also both you.  
> All of the things you have ever thought or felt or done-- even if you don't like them, even if you ignore them-- are a part of you. Every lie you've told is a part of you. Every version of you that you present to the world is still you.  
> Piece by painful piece, you put yourself back together.  
> You are a puzzle with too many pieces. None of them quite fit together. You are not putting yourself back together, exactly, because there is nothing to repair. You just gather up all the scattered pieces of yourself, because they are pieces of yourself.  
> The Shadows begin to fade away...  
> It's quiet.  
> You open your eyes.  
> You can see again.  
> The mirror-floor is completely wrecked. The stained glass walls are wrecked, too.  
> The room isn't empty any more... it's your bedroom in the old headquarters again. Was it your bedroom all along...? Everything is covered in broken glass. Now you can see what's on the other side of the stained glass windows... it's nothing but fog.  
> You're leaning a lot of weight on your clenched fists, digging your knuckles into the broken glass. You shift so you're not doing that.  
> There are small pieces of glass embedded in your skin.  
> There is still one Shadow left, and he's handcuffed to your wrist.  
   
Shadow L  
"Yagami-kun."  
   
> Your head snaps up at the sound of his voice.  
> He's back. His eyes flicker yellow, then go black.  
> That look... those eyes...  
> He scratches his neck, jangling the chain that connects the two of you, and hums low in his throat.  
   
Shadow L  
"We didn't finish our conversation earlier. Or, rather, you refused to continue engaging with our earlier conversation and it was brought to an untimely end as a result."  
   
> You're not sure you would call what happened earlier a conversation.  
> He crouches in front of you so that he's at eye level, and blinks slowly.  
   
Shadow L  
"I believe there are still some things you haven't said to me."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He's a part of you, too."  
   
> You're exhausted...  
   
Light Yagami  
"Even though you're dead, you won't leave me alone... I didn't want to admit that you got under my skin this much, but..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I suppose I have no choice now. I spent so much time thinking about you... that you became a part of me."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I guess if I have to put a name to it... that's a sort of love."  
   
> Ryuzaki smiles at you, and then... fades away.  
> He's gone.  
> The strength of heart required to face oneself has been made manifest...  
> You have faced your other selves...  
> You have obtained the façade used to overcome life's hardships, the Persona **Messiah**!  
   
Light Yagami  
"What the hell is a Persona?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's complicated... more importantly, are you okay?"  
   
> How much did he see? Does he know you're Kira now?  
> When you look up at him, he still looks more worried than frightened...  
> You decide that you should be careful about telling the truth while you're in this place, to make sure those Shadows don't come back.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm tired and I'm not sure I entirely understand what just happened."  
   
> He offers you his hand.  
> You can't stand up on your own...  
> You take his hand and he pulls you to your feet. Your legs can't support your weight right now... you almost collapse again, but Narukami grabs you before you fall.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You can lean on me."  
   
> You really don't want to do that...  
> But it seems that you have no choice. You can't stand up on your own.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Thank you."  
   
> He wraps his arm around your waist and you lean most of your weight on him...  
> As soon as you do so, the door bursts open again and seven people come barrelling in, all talking at the same time.  
   
Teddie  
"Sensei!!"  
   
Rise & Kanji  
"Senpai!!"  
   
Naoto  
"Yagami-san!"  
   
Yosuke  
"We told you not to go running off on your own!"  
   
Chie  
"We were so worried about you!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Yosuke-kun said he thought you went in on your own, so we all came, but the door wouldn't open."  
   
> They crowd around the two of you...  
> Whatever this place is... all of them know how to access it. Even though it's a world created from your heart...?  
> What is on the other side of that door?  
> Narukami seems embarrassed.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Sorry, everyone..."  
   
Yosuke  
"Dude, are you okay? You look like the two of you got run through a shredder."  
   
Chie  
"Urgh, there's blood everywhere... I think I'm gonna be sick."  
   
Rise  
"Wait... Light... something feels different. Senpai, did he...?"  
   
> Narukami nods.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He has a Persona, too."  
   
> Everyone starts talking at once again. It makes you feel dizzy.  
   
Yosuke  
"Seriously? This guy?"  
   
Risette  
"Eee! Light can join the team!"  
   
> They're all fussing and chattering...  
   
Yukiko  
"Amaterasu!"  
   
> !?  
> A large monster appears in the air above her!  
> A gold featureless body shining like the sun, with gleaming metallic wings, brandishing a sword. It has no face.  
> Nobody else seems surprised at all to see it.  
   
Light Yagami  
"What is _that?_ "  
   
Teddie  
"That's Yuki-chan's ultimate Persona! Cool, right?"  
   
> He says that like it explains anything...  
> The monster holds out its hand and a wave of light washes over you and Narukami...  
> !!  
> The cuts from the broken glass are healed!  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Thanks, Yukiko. We should really get him out of here."  
   
Rise  
"You're right, senpai! He seems totally wiped. Sorry, Light, this is probably all really confusing... we'll explain everything, though."  
   
Teddie  
"Alrighty! Let's get back to the entrance, everyone!"  
   
> The bear throws something on the floor and there's a blinding flash of light...  
> When your vision clears, you're all in a completely different place... you can't really see anything. There's yellow fog everywhere. You can barely see the people right in front of you.  
> Nobody else seems to be having that problem. They're also all wearing glasses you've never seen before... those two things are probably related.  
> Since it's so difficult to see anything at all, you hardly notice your vision dimming until you seriously can't see anything...  
> It seems that you are on the verge of passing out.  
   
Kanji  
"Need any help carrying him?"  
   
Chie  
"I don't really think carrying him is a two-man job."  
   
Yosuke  
"For the record, partner, I'm pissed at you."  
   
Naoto  
"Twenty-five floors all by himself... how is that possible?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I've got the skills to pay the bills."  
   
Yukiko  
"Hh... hahahahaha--"  
   
Chie  
"Yukiko!!"  
   
> Their voices fade...  
> When you can hear and see again, you're... at Junes. In the electronics department.  
> They seem to be discussing what to do with you, since none of them know where you live.  
> You hiss in a breath through your teeth and blink a few times... then pry yourself away from Narukami.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I can take myself home, thank you."  
   
Yosuke  
"Hell no you can't."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I can, and I will."  
   
> Everyone looks like they want to argue, but Narukami holds up a hand and they all go quiet.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"If he says he can do it, we should let him go."  
   
> They reluctantly agree...  
> You limp home.  
 

 **> Your Apartment...**  
   
> When you get home, the door to your apartment is unlocked.  
> You don't remember leaving it unlocked...  
> You pull out your gun and open the door.  
> ...  
> Adachi is lounging on your couch, eating an apple.  
   
Adachi  
"Yo."


	11. for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint

**> Your Apartment...**  
   
Adachi  
"Loved the show. The best so far, no contest."  
   
Adachi  
"I wish I could have that whole thing on DVD. That part when you smashed Narukami's face into the floor? Five out of five stars."  
   
> He wrinkles his nose and tilts his head to the side, considering.  
   
Adachi  
"Well, maybe more like four and a half. Would've been perfect if he wasn't so into it, the weirdo."  
   
> It seems that you were right, and Adachi was watching.  
> There's no way to see how much he saw. Given the smirk on his face, enough to embarrass you.  
> ...  
> You shouldn't shoot Adachi in your apartment. As much as you would like to... it wouldn't accomplish anything. He wouldn't die. If the Death Note couldn't kill him, how would a gun? You'd be arrested. His blood would stain the couch. It would be a mess.  
> It would, however, give you a moment of vicious satisfaction. That almost feels worth it.  
> Almost. You put your gun away.  
> You try not to look as disoriented or exhausted as you actually are while you lean against the wall and take off your shoes.  
> Adachi's jacket is thrown over the back of the couch, and his shoes are by the door. His sleeves are rolled up to the elbows. The top three buttons of his shirt are undone. Overall, he looks rather comfortable.  
> Just how long has he been here?  
   
Light Yagami  
"You seem to have made yourself at home."  
   
Adachi  
"Well, you know. You try to kill me, I try to kill you... you break into my apartment, I break into your apartment... even stevens."  
   
Light Yagami  
"......"  
   
Light Yagami  
"What do you want."  
   
> His eyes flick to your TV, then back to you. He takes a bite out of his apple.  
   
Adachi  
"Kind of a big question."  
   
> You really aren't in the mood for his nonsense right now.  
> You stagger inside and lean heavily against the wall, since you're not convinced you can stay upright on your own for much longer.  
   
Light Yagami  
"If you're here to try to finish me off, you should know it won't work no matter what you do."  
   
> He swings his legs off the couch and stands up, grinning.  
   
Adachi  
"That's a bold claim. No matter what?"  
   
> Adachi tosses his apple up in the air and catches it again.  
   
Adachi  
"You seem awfully confident about that. Getting rescued from your secret gay feelings doesn't make you bulletproof, you know."  
   
Light Yagami  
"If you don't believe me, feel free to test it out."  
   
> You tilt your head to the side, exposing your neck.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'll arrest you for attempted murder, of course, but your curiosity will be satisfied."  
   
Adachi  
"Tempting."  
   
> He takes another bite out the apple.  
> If he didn't come here to kill you...  
   
Light Yagami  
"Oh, I see. You're frightened. I know how this works, now, and you're worried about what I'm going to tell Narukami and his friends. You must be pretty embarrassed, showing your hand the way you did and accomplishing nothing."  
   
Light Yagami  
"You probably hoped I'd kill them, didn't you? Nine birds, one stone."  
   
> Adachi strides towards you and slams his hand into your throat.  
> You choke.  
   
Adachi  
"That's better. You're annoying as hell, anyone ever tell you that?"  
   
> You're too tired to do anything but breathe as best you can and smile.  
   
Adachi  
"Yeah, I'm real curious what you're gonna do now that Narukami knows you're a serial killer. How're you planning on talking your way out of that one?"  
   
> You shrug.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'll figure something out. Narukami's gullible, I'm not worried. You should be more concerned with your own problems."  
   
Light Yagami  
"How are you going to stop me from telling them that you're the one who tried to kill me?"  
   
> Adachi snickers.  
   
Adachi  
"You don't have a monopoly on Yu Narukami. He won't believe I did anything wrong. He _likes_ me, remember? Hell, even if you had some kind of proof-- he's so desperately into me, it wouldn't matter."  
   
Adachi  
"And you don't have proof. After all, I have alibis for all the other kidnappings. I was with Mystery Incorporated when Risette disappeared. They _know_ it's not me."  
   
> What was it he said right before he shoved you into the TV?  
> "If you want something done right, do it yourself."  
> Adachi has an accomplice. Someone else with the same power.  
> Mitsuo Kubo...? You really wish you'd spoken to him before Mikami killed him.  
> Surely if his accomplice was Kubo, he would have had more of a reaction to his death-- disappointment, annoyance, something like that. Or he would have killed him himself when Kubo was arrested, to make sure he didn't talk.  
> Who else would it be? No one likes Adachi. He doesn't have any friends. You didn't find any kind of correspondence with anyone on his computer, let alone anything about the kidnappings.  
> You'll have to figure that out after Narukami and his friends have explained to you what's actually going on... hopefully they'll give you all the information you need to find his accomplice.  
> You're starting to feel dangerously dizzy.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Thank you for the information. I'll keep it in mind."  
   
> Yu Narukami is a valuable asset to Adachi. More so than you'd considered.  
> You should do something about that.  
> Adachi is staring intently at you. His eyes are narrowed.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Something you want to say?"  
   
> Your voice sounds awful. Your heart is beating too quickly. You would really like to go to sleep.  
   
Adachi  
"How could I possibly decide on just one? Your whole _deal_ has given me so much material, I don't even know where to start."  
   
> He lets go of your neck and it takes all of your strength not to collapse.  
> You lean against the wall, legs shaking, while he gets his jacket.  
   
Adachi  
"As much as I appreciate the half-conscious vibe... you also look like you're about to hurl, so I'm gonna dip."  
   
> Your vision is spotty... you blink a few times to try to clear it. It doesn't work.  
   
Light Yagami  
"You appreciate what?"  
   
Adachi  
"You know, the whole _too out of it to fight back_ thing. Top notch."  
   
> Your lip curls in disgust.  
> You feel an intense hatred for Adachi...  
> You might hate him even more than you hated L. Your hatred for L was... complicated, at least. It wasn't like this. With Adachi, you feel a pure unfiltered hatred, unmuddied by any other feelings.  
> You do not respect him. You do not find him interesting. You just hate him. Every single thing about him is repulsive. He does not have even a single redeeming quality. No matter how many layers you cut away... he is rotten to the core.  
   
Light Yagami  
"You're repulsive."  
   
Adachi  
"Yeah, yeah."  
   
> He pats your shoulder as he moves past you to put his shoes on.  
   
Adachi  
"I'll do you a favor and tell Dojima-san you're sick, so you owe me, mmkay?"  
   
> He tried to kill you, and he thinks he can make you feel like you owe him...?  
> Adachi is astonishingly arrogant.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Just leave. I don't need any favors from you."  
   
> He gives you a toothy grin.  
   
Adachi  
"You're a lot more fun when you're in a bad mood, Light."  
   
> He looks at you for another long moment.  
> It seems like he's trying to savor your facial expression...  
> You don't want to give him anything he wants, so you stop scowling and give him a blank expressionless stare until he leaves.  
   
> With Adachi gone, exhaustion really starts to set in...  
> You're so tired...  
> You don't have the energy to do anything but collapse...  
> You fish your phone out of your pocket, lying facedown on your bed...  
> It seems that you were gone for a few days. You're not sure how long it felt like; it felt both shorter and longer than that.  
> You have dozens of notifications, but you can't see clearly enough to look at them...  
> You decide to deal with them later...  
 

 **> October 26 th...**  
   
> ...  
> Your phone is ringing...  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ugghhhhhh."  
   
> It takes you four tries to answer it.  
> You're still facedown on your bed, wearing the clothes you wore to work on Saturday.  
> Your head hurts...  
> You didn't check who it was, and you feel unsteady and vague, so you're not sure who to be. You should play it safe and make sure you sound awake and cheerful.  
   
Light Yagami, Sickeningly Pleasant  
"Hello?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san! Thank goodness. I've been trying to get ahold of you. I was worried."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"How are you feeling?"  
   
> You haven't eaten in four days. You are dehydrated. You have been asleep for more than twelve hours. Your body is heavy, and everything aches, and you are exhausted.  
> It's similar to how you felt after being imprisoned for two months, even though you were only in that other world for a few days...  
   
Light Yagami, Sickeningly Pleasant  
"A bit groggy, but not too bad."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm glad to hear that. You sound more cheerful than usual."  
   
> Shit. You should dial it back a bit, then.  
> You clear your throat and try to adjust. What kind of a person are you when you interact with him, again...? Should you be different after the Shadow fight?  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I just wanted to tell you to let us know when you're feeling better, so that we can meet up and explain everything."  
   
> You need to know what's going on as soon as possible.  
> The sooner you get this whole thing over with, the better.  
> ...You don't think you can get out of bed today, though.  
   
Light Yagami, Somewhat Sickeningly Pleasant  
"How about tomorrow?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"T-tomorrow!? That soon? Are you sure that would give you enough time to recover...?"  
   
> Realistically speaking, you estimate that it would take you at least a week to feel less like a reanimated corpse.  
> But you don't want to wait that long. You've waited long enough already.  
   
Light Yagami, Somewhat Sickeningly Pleasant  
"I'm sure."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Wow... you're amazing, Yagami-san."  
   
> He sounds a bit breathless.  
> You roll your eyes.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"In that case, could you meet us at the Junes food court at... hmm."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Actually, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to talk to you about your Shadows first, before everyone else comes. Could you come to the food court after school gets out?"  
   
> This isn't unexpected. Your Shadows did run their mouths off quite a bit while he was there... and you have no idea what was on the other side of that door. Given that you haven't been hauled away by CIA goons in the dead of night, it seems likely that it wasn't anything _too_ incriminating...  
> You have to do some damage control. It shouldn't be difficult to convince him you're not Kira... he doesn't want to believe it, so he'll be susceptible to suggestion.  
> Meeting you alone is a good sign. It means he hasn't told the others what he saw. He's the only one who heard it, which means it'll be easy to convince him he misheard certain things. His crush on you means it'll be easy to redirect his attention away from the Kira thing and onto the other part.  
> If he thinks you're in the closet and secretly torturing yourself about some ill-fated tragic romance you had with L, he'll probably promise not to tell the others anything. Given how many of his friends are gay, and that he himself is gay, it's unlikely he's the type to out people without their permission.  
> If no one else knows what happened, they'll be forced to accept the version of events you and Narukami give them.  
> Then they'll be convinced you're not Kira, and more likely to defend you from any accusations Adachi might sling at you.  
   
Light Yagami, Somewhat Sickeningly Pleasant  
"Of course. I feel like I owe you an explanation... and an apology."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"An apology? What for?"  
   
> He sounds genuinely confused. This kid...  
> Did he forget that you tried to kill him? You broke his nose!  
> You've never met anyone with such piss-poor self-preservation instincts before. It's baffling.  
   
Light Yagami, Somewhat Sickeningly Pleasant  
"For hurting you. That must have been scary."  
   
> He pauses for a long time.  
> Is he upset...? Should you have not brought it up? Maybe you're not supposed to remember being a Shadow.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Nothing's scary any more after you've eaten Chie and Yukiko's cooking."  
   
> It seems that this is a joke.  
> It takes you a little too long to remember that you're supposed to laugh...  
> It sounds forced. You fucked it up. You want to go back to sleep.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'll let you get back to resting."  
   
Light Yagami, Somewhat Sickeningly Pleasant  
"Alright. See you tomorrow, Narukami."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'd like it if you called me Yu again."  
   
> He's persistent...  
> It seems that he and Rise have a lot in common.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Nope."  
   
> You think you hear him laugh a little bit.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Okay. Remember to eat something today, Yagami-san."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Mmhm."  
   
> As soon as he hangs up, you go back to sleep.

  
**> October 27 th...**

  
   
> You feel a little bit less terrible after a long shower and breakfast and a change of clothes.  
> Still awful, though...  
> You go through your missed notifications on your way to work. A lot of them are from Rise and Yu... it seems they left you more than a few panicked voicemails. There's some from Sayu, as well-- according to her voicemails, it wasn't anything urgent, but you should still check in with her when you have time.

 

**> Inaba Police Station...**

  
   
Dojima  
"Yagami! Back from the dead!"  
   
> He seems happy to see you.  
> You give him an apologetic smile when he claps you on the back.  
   
Light Yagami, Who Just Wants To Impress You  
"Dojima-san. I'm so sorry I've been out for so long, and for not calling you..."  
   
Dojima  
"Difficult to be angry with you when you look like such hell. You sure you're ready to be back at work, kid?"  
   
> You didn't think you looked that bad.  
> You smile wider and jokingly flex your arms.  
   
Light Yagami, Who Just Wants To Impress You  
"More than ready, sir!"  
   
Dojima  
"Well, if you say so... glad to have you back. Adachi's ditching work today."  
   
> That's a relief.  
> Although... you have to wonder what he's up to.  
   
> Hours at work pass by slowly... you're too distracted to get much done.  
> Narukami texts you to confirm your plans... there's a specific table he wants you to go to, for some reason.

  
**> Junes Food Court...**  
   
> As you approach the food court where Narukami said to meet him, you hear Yosuke's voice.  
> He seems to be talking about you, so you stop and listen in.  
   
Yosuke  
"I don't think it's a good idea for you to talk to him alone."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Why not?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Because! He's-- he's shady! And his whole Shadow thing was suspicious!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You didn't see it."  
   
Yosuke  
"No, but-- but I bet it had something to do with Kira, right??"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
   
Yosuke  
"I knew it! If that's the case, then going to talk to him on your own is a terrible idea! He could kill you!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"In the Junes food court?"  
   
Yosuke  
"W-well-- you never know!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke..."  
   
Yosuke  
"I'm just saying, he's a dangerous guy!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You have no reason whatsoever to believe that."  
   
Yosuke  
"You went to take on his Shadows on your own and you came out of it with a busted face, covered in blood, looking like absolute hell!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Everyone's Shadows are dangerous. Rise's came really close to killing everyone, but that doesn't make Rise a murderer."  
   
Yosuke  
"Why are you being like this? If you didn't think he was suspicious, you wouldn't be talking to him at all, right?! So why are you acting like _I'm_ the one being ridiculous??"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He deserves the chance to explain himself without needing everyone to know the details about his Shadows. Nobody likes to have that stuff broadcasted to strangers."  
   
Yosuke  
"Can you promise me, based off what you know about him, that you're one hundred percent sure he's safe?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He's--"  
   
Yosuke  
"You can't, can you? Because he's _not!_ "  
   
Yosuke  
"I'm sticking with you, partner."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Are you sure you're not just trying to avoid working on setting up for the group date café?"  
   
Yosuke  
"How could you even suggest something like that!? J-Just because I don't want to work on that... I mean-- that's not relevant right now!!"  
   
> It seems that Yosuke will be joining you.  
> You were right... Narukami hasn't told his friends what happened with your Shadows.  
> You walk over to the table and give them a bland smile.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"Hey, you two."  
   
> Yosuke squints at you. Is he trying to intimidate you?  
> Narukami looks like he is trying very hard not to look excited to see you.  
> You all sit down...  
> Yosuke crosses his arms over his chest and glares at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Sorry about Yosuke. He insisted on coming, too. I didn't tell him anything, though."  
   
Light Yagami  
"That's alright."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"So, um... if you don't mind me asking... it seems like... there were some things about your Shadows... I don't know if you remember..."  
   
> He stumbles for a bit before managing to collect himself.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Simply put... what is your connection to the Kira case and the detective L?"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I'll tell you, but... you have to promise not to spread it around, okay?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I promise."  
   
> You have to tell him a version of the truth that's close enough to reality that if someone from the investigation team talked to him, it would seem to match up.  
> You've planned what you're going to say... but it's a gamble. It depends on your assessment of Narukami's character being accurate. You are confident that it is, but there's no way to know for sure.  
> You believe that Narukami will remember that you feel responsible for Kira's crimes, but that he will not remember your specific phrasing because he was distracted by the discussion of your relationship with L.  
> If you're wrong about him, this could go very badly...  
> But you're never wrong.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"When I was in high school... when the Kira murders first started... L asked me to join the investigation. My father was a police officer working on the Kira case, and I'd helped him with a few cases before, and I was a nationally recognized genius... but that's not the only reason L wanted to work with me."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I fit the profile he'd come up with for the culprit... it was so close, it was scary, actually. His reasoning was... if I was Kira, he wanted to keep an eye on me, and if I wasn't, I could be valuable to the investigation."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I worked very closely with L... and even though he suspected me at first, we grew to respect and care for one another as comrades in the investigation. He placed his trust in me."  
   
> You pause for dramatic effect and look sad.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"But... even though I was smart, I was still a teenager... we made mistakes, and L was killed by Kira. I should have been able to stop it from happening... if only I'd been more careful... considered every angle more closely..."  
   
> You take a deep shaky breath and close your eyes and shake your head.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"Before he died, he'd said that if anything happened to him... he wanted me to take on the name L and spearhead the Kira investigation. He wanted me to replace him. I never thought it would happen, but... it did. Since that time, five years ago, I've been in charge of the Kira investigation."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"But since he died, we've hardly made any progress at all... I haven't gotten any closer to bringing Kira to justice, and... look what this world has become. It's all my fault."  
   
> You stare determinedly at your hands and clench them into fists.  
> For theatricality's sake, you can't look to see if your performance is working or not. You have to seem lost in the story right now. They have to believe they're seeing you in a rare emotionally vulnerable moment.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I can't live up to L's legacy. I can't catch Kira. My incompetence killed my father, it got Sayu kidnapped... tens of thousands of people have died because of my failures. As head of the investigation, every single victim of Kira is my responsibility."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"It's... all my fault."  
   
> You finish there, looking miserable.  
> Silence hangs in the air...  
> Did it work...?  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san..."  
   
> You look up.  
> Narukami looks like he's going to cry. His eyes are shiny wet with tears, his pale cheeks reddened. He presses his hands to his face and sniffles.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's not your fault."  
   
> Your hands twitch into tighter fists as you resist the urge to grin.  
> It worked.  
> Well, it half worked, but that's all you needed. Yosuke slams his hand down on the table.  
   
Yosuke  
"What a load of bullshit! Partner, I can't believe you're falling for that!"  
   
> Narukami looks scandalized.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke!"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"It's okay. I know it sounds pretty out there. You have every right to be skeptical."  
   
Yu Narukami  
" _I_ believe you, Yagami-san. Yosuke, why don't you? If there's something bothering you, maybe it's something he could clear up."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. I want you all to feel like you can trust me."  
   
> Yosuke looks at Narukami, then looks at you.  
   
Yosuke  
"I... I mean... it's..."  
   
> He looks... desperate and confused and scared.  
> He has no real reason not to trust you, but he doesn't trust you anyway.  
> Like L... his instincts are telling him that you're Kira, despite not having any evidence whatsoever to back it up.  
> But Yosuke isn't L, so it won't amount to anything. He has no power over you, no resources, and no credibility.  
> You hold eye contact with him until he looks away. There's nothing he can say to convince Narukami that you are anything but a beautiful tragic man waiting to be fixed, and you both know it.  
   
Yosuke  
"...Never mind."  
   
> Narukami looks at him, eyes sparkling with concern.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Are you sure?"  
   
Yosuke  
"I said it's fine!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke..."  
   
Yosuke  
"Ugh, just-- whatever!!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Okay... Yagami-san, I'm really sorry about your friend."  
   
> You smile weakly at him.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I am, too."  
   
> It's not long before the rest of Narukami's little gang shows up. They all sit around the table.  
> They have the fox from the shrine with them... it growls at you and sits as far away from you as it can manage.  
> Chie seems to be in a bad mood.  
   
Chie  
"Kanji, you sit next to Yosuke and tell him I'm not speaking to him right now."  
   
> Kanji looks confused, but sits down in the seat next to Yosuke anyway.  
   
Kanji  
"Um... Yosuke-senpai, Chie-senpai says--"  
   
Yosuke  
"I heard her. Chie, you're overreacting."  
   
Chie  
"Overreacting!? Not only did you sign us up for that stupid beauty pageant, but you decided on this stupid group date café thing and then totally ditched us when we needed you to help work on setting it up!"  
   
Teddie  
"Chie! Yosuke is a free spirit! He has to go where his heart tells him to go... into Light Yagami's arms!!"  
   
Kanji  
"His arms??"  
   
Yosuke  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, _whoa!_ Hold up! No one's going into anyone's arms!"  
   
Rise  
"Oho... Yosuke-senpai, you just came to make sure it didn't turn into a date, didn't you?"  
   
Yosuke  
" _No!_ You guys!! Can't you take anything seriously? I came because I was worried!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke..."  
   
Yosuke  
"D-don't-- don't give me that _I can't believe you didn't tell me this earlier_ look!!"  
   
> They tease Yosuke for a while. He gets flustered easily...  
> Eventually they settle down, and start explaining everything they know to you.  
> ...  
 

 **> Assignment 02 - The Midnight Channel: Case Closed.**  
   
> Before the victims are taken, after they become famous on TV in Inaba, their silhouette appears on the Midnight Channel. After they are thrown into the 'TV world', their Shadows create a sort of TV show that is shown on the Midnight Channel.  
> Apparently yours closely imitated the Sakura TV broadcast you used to catch Higuchi. They don't explain it very well, but it sounds like it's the reason Yosuke is suspicious of you.  
> Everyone in Narukami's gang has confronted their Shadow selves, except for Narukami himself. You're the only one who had more than one Shadow self.  
> Yukiko, Kanji, Rise, and Naoto were all kidnapped from their homes and thrown into the TV. They don't remember who did it. Naoto says that it was a man, but she doesn't remember anything about him.  
   
Naoto  
"Yagami-san, do you remember anything about what happened to you?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't. I'm sorry."  
   
Naoto  
"No need to apologize... you've been through something very terrible. It's understandable to be fuzzy on what happened precisely. Perhaps something will come back to you with time."  
   
> They don't really know anything about what the TV world is, just that it's only accessible to those who have the power of 'Persona.'  
> Teddie, the strange foreigner who wears the mascot costume, came from the TV world, but he doesn't know anything more about it than the others do.  
> After clumsily attempting to explain to you what a Persona is and what the TV world is like, they give up and decide to just go there.  
> Every TV goes to a different part of the TV world... so they've been using one particular TV in the Junes electronics department to get in, so they always start from the same place.  
 

 **> TV World Entrance...**  
   
> It's foggy in here. You can't see anything.  
> Everyone else puts on the glasses they were wearing when they "rescued" you.  
   
Yukiko  
"Teddie, you made Light a pair of glasses, right?"  
   
Teddie  
"I sure did!"  
   
> He hands you a pair of glasses with thin white rectangular frames. Where was he keeping these?  
> You turn them over in your hands. They look and feel very ordinary...  
   
Yukiko  
"Not those ones!"  
   
Teddie  
"Ohh, right. Light-kun, before you wear those, you have to wear... da da da daaa!! These!"  
   
> He produces, as if from thin air, a pair of those gag glasses... big swirly eyes, a fake nose, a mustache.  
> He waves them at you.  
   
Rise  
"Oh, right! Yes, Light, you _have_ to wear those before you put on your normal glasses. It's, um... it's a magic rule."  
   
> Everyone nods, wide-eyed and faux-serious.  
> You gingerly take the joke glasses and inspect them. These, too, look perfectly ordinary. You can't think of a reason why it would actually be necessary for you to wear them.  
> It seems that they are trying to play a prank on you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not going to wear these."  
   
> You glance at Naoto, who seems the least likely to engage in this sort of nonsense.  
> She's covering a smile with her hand... she'll be no help.  
> Narukami puts his hand on your arm and gazes very seriously at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san. Please."  
   
> They're all looking at you expectantly...  
   
Light Yagami  
"Definitely not."  
   
> Narukami gives you a desperate puppy-dog-eyes look.  
> So does Rise.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Stop that."  
   
Rise  
"Liiiiight, you're no fun!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Yes, I know."  
   
> You tuck the joke glasses into your jacket pocket and put on the white ones instead.  
> Immediately, everything becomes clearer... it's like the fog is almost entirely gone. You blink a few times, disoriented by the sudden clarity.  
> You're on a sort of platform in the middle of the fog... you can't see very far, but there are strange scaffolding pathways jutting out in all directions from where you're standing. They disappear into the fog.  
> You look around, and adjust the glasses.  
> Everyone is still looking at you...  
   
Kanji  
"Dammit... he looks good..."  
   
Rise  
"Light, you look so dreamy with glasses!"  
   
Yosuke  
"...ghh."  
   
> Yosuke covers his mouth with his hand and looks away. His face is bright red.  
   
Naoto  
"...well."  
   
> She clears her throat, looking embarrassed on everyone else's behalf.  
   
Naoto  
"Shouldn't we carry on with explaining things to Yagami-san?"  
   
Rise  
"Right! Of course! Yeah! Let's head back to the office building."  
 

 **> Swanky Tower Entrance...**  
   
> You all follow Rise in a particular direction; there are many branching pathways, but she confidently leads the way through the fog until you come to a towering office building with stained-glass windows.  
> It's L's tower... you hesitate before following everyone else inside.  
> The floor is a mirror, the windows are stained glass... this is the same place where you confronted your Shadows.  
   
Rise  
"So, everyone's got a place like this. Mine was a, um. Club."  
   
Yosuke  
"Well, not all of us. Some of us sort of... combined places, I guess."  
   
Yukiko  
"Mine was a castle."  
   
Teddie  
"They're full of little Shadows! Monsters that come from the darkness in people's hearts! The little Shadows clump together to make the big ones!"  
   
Kanji  
"And we fight 'em with our Personas!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You've got one, too, now."  
   
Rise  
"Yeah, yeah, I wanna see! Summon your Persona, Light!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"How do I do that?"  
   
> Everyone looks perplexed and thoughtful.  
> They all mumble some vague explanations and gesture vaguely... they all seem frustrated by their inability to quite explain how to do it.  
   
Kanji  
"Man, screw it. It's just like... this!"  
   
> He gestures sharply and a large hulking monster appears in the air above him. A sort of... large red robot man? It looks like something out of a cartoon...  
> This is his Persona.  
   
Naoto  
"You sort of... call on the power you know you have."  
   
Rise  
"It's there! You just need to summon it."  
   
> That's not very helpful, but it seems they're not going to get any more helpful than that.  
> You close your eyes.  
> You can feel something...  
> It has a name.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Messiah."  
   
> You reach out your hand and your fingertips seem to brush against something.  
> A wind ruffles your hair and you feel your body flooded with power.  
> When you open your eyes, there is a Persona hovering in front of you.  
> It looks more like a person than the other two Personas you've seen so far. It has a face-- your face, almost, except this one is deathly pale. Everything about it is glowing white, except for a string of jet black coffins chained to one wrist.  
> You _know_ this thing, somehow.  
> It's a part of you, after all...  
   
Rise  
"Oh, wow, it's-- it's _super_ powerful!!"  
   
Rise  
"Like, it's more powerful than any of ours-- it's more powerful than any of yours, even, Senpai!"  
   
> Everyone looks very impressed.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's amazing, Yagami-san."  
   
Light Yagami  
"That remains to be seen. You said you use these to fight Shadows. I'd like to try that out."  
   
Naoto  
"Is that wise? You haven't had much time to recover. Surely you're quite exhausted."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I feel fine."  
   
Chie  
"If he's up for it, I totally wanna see that thing in action!"  
   
Rise  
"Honestly, me too... I'm sensing there's another big Shadow at the top of the tower, as usual. Maybe we could go beat it up."  
   
Kanji  
"That's a lot of floors, though..."  
   
Yosuke  
"What d'you say, partner? You're the boss."  
   
> Narukami stares up at your Persona for a long moment, eyes wide.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Let's go for it."  
   
Teddie  
"Wait!!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...?"  
   
Teddie  
"Light needs a weapon!"  
   
Rise  
"Oh, right!"  
   
Teddie  
"Light! What's a weapon only you use? It's gotta be unique and suit your personality!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"...pardon?"  
   
Naoto  
"Everyone has a backup weapon, in case we're unable to summon our Personas for one reason or another. For safety reasons."  
   
> Several of them draw their 'weapons' to demonstrate. There's quite a range... Yosuke has a pair of fish, for example, and Naoto has a gun.  
> Safety reasons...?  
> If they have magical powers, what do they need conventional weapons for? You can't imagine you'll need to physically fight anything, especially with so many of them here with you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"That seems unnecessary and dangerous."  
   
Rise  
"I know it might seem that way, Light, but it's super important. This world does all kinds of crazy stuff, you never really know what you're gonna need. Better safe than sorry!"  
   
Naoto  
"Perhaps he could borrow something. We have quite an array of old weapons stored near the entrance."  
   
> Narukami brightens.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You're welcome to borrow one of my swords, Yagami-san!"  
   
Chie  
"I'd offer some of my shoes, but I don't think our feet are the same size..."  
   
Teddie  
"You can't have any of my claws! They're made especially for my delicate paws! Should anyone else dare to wield such weapons... who knows what could happen!!"  
   
Kanji  
"Huh? Probably nothing, right? It's not like they're cursed... we buy them at the same place we buy everything else..."  
   
Yosuke  
"Hey, how come nobody's making fun of Yu?? Something about how... he wants Yagami-san to touch his swords, or whatever?? That's way more embarrassing than anything I did!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Huh? Is it embarrassing?"  
   
Chie  
"I don't get it."  
   
Yosuke  
"B-because-- _you know!_ Kanji, _you_ know what I'm talking about!"  
   
Kanji  
"Do I?"  
   
> Kanji crosses his arms over his chest and stares down at Yosuke.  
> Yosuke groans.  
   
Yosuke  
"C'mon, you guys... seriously? Ugh, whatever, forget it."  
   
Yukiko  
"But I still don't understand the joke."  
   
Chie  
"I think it's like... the swords are his penis?"  
   
> Everyone reacts with loud exaggeratedly shocked noises.  
   
Rise  
"Chie! My pure ears!! I'm scandalized!"  
   
Kanji  
"TH-- THAT'S HELLA INAPPROPRIATE, SENPAI!!"  
   
Teddie  
"What's a--"  
   
Yosuke  
"SHUT THE HELL UP, TEDDIE!!"  
   
> It's difficult to believe they're really high schoolers.  
> You wait for them to stop screaming at each other...  
> ...  
> It takes a while.  
> At some point, your Persona faded away without you noticing... you poke around the room, which is a replica of the downstairs of the L tower. The bank of computers and TVs you spent most of your days staring at is now a wall of computer- and TV-shaped mirrors. You tap at the controls, but they don't do anything.  
> The potted plants in this version are strange and black and wispy... you do not touch them.  
> There's nothing here that any member of the investigation team might have left here.. no files, no coats, no candy wrappers. You keep looking around, almost expecting to find some piece of L here, but there just isn't anything.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san! Please don't wander off!"  
   
> They call you back over to the group, having composed themselves at last, and once again insist that you borrow someone's weapon.  
> They emphasize that this is _not_ a euphemism for anyone's genitalia, but rather a safety precaution that they take very seriously.  
> It seems that they won't let you proceed unless you have a weapon.  
   
Light Yagami  
"If you insist, I have a gun. That should suffice."  
   
> It's for work, and they check regularly to see if it's been fired, but they don't need to know that.  
> This seems to satisfy them... except for Teddie.  
   
Teddie  
"No!! That's a duplicate! Nao-chan uses guns, you can't both use guns!"  
   
Rise  
"Teddie, c'mon. It doesn't really matter. Let's just go."  
 

 **> Swanky Tower, F1**  
   
> The first time you see a Shadow, you are... alarmed. You wouldn't say _frightened,_ but you're certainly taken aback. If only because you've never seen anything quite like it before, and never thought that anything like it could exist.  
> A pulsating mass of darkness-- almost liquid, but reflecting no light-- rears up as if to strike, then separates into four pieces. The pieces twist and shudder in the air before coagulating into creatures.  
> The creatures scream in unison.  
   
Rise  
"Four strong enemies! Be careful, everyone!!"  
   
> Narukami, Yosuke, and Naoto scramble to surround the enemies, drawing their various weapons.  
> One of the creatures-- a towering masked figure-- swoops over you. It doesn't get close enough to hit you, but _something_ hits you. A massive force smashes into you and you're flung forcefully onto your back. Your head cracks against the floor.  
> Pain bursts in your chest and head, and your ears start ringing.  
   
**HP: 105** /300  
**SP: 150** /300  
   
> You're too dizzy to move...  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san!!"  
   
> Narukami runs over, grabs you by the arm, and hauls you onto your feet.  
> You stagger, but manage to remain upright. Narukami gives you a quick worried smile before turning on his heel and running back to his position.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Decarabia!"  
   
> He points at one of the nearest Shadows. A starfish appears above his head and spits a massive fireball at the creature. You can feel the heat on your skin from here...  
> The Shadow rears back, staggered for a moment by the attack, but quickly recovers.  
   
Rise  
"Nice one, Senpai!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke, try a physical attack."  
   
> For some reason, Yosuke attempts to smack one of the creatures with two pieces of corn.  
> This goes about as well as can be expected.  
> In fact, it goes worse. Yosuke bounces off the monster, hits himself in the face with the corn, and bites through his lip.  
   
Rise  
"Are you okay??"  
   
> Yosuke wipes blood off his mouth with the back of his hand, slightly winded, and scowls at her over his shoulder.  
   
Yosuke  
"I'm _fine._ "  
   
Rise  
"Looks like physical attacks won't work on that one."  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah, I got that."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Naoto, try darkness."  
   
> Naoto's Persona holds out its hand and a glowing magic circle appears underneath one of the Shadows. Magic swirls around it, an unpleasant purple color, and seems to close in on the Shadow.  
> !!  
> The Shadow vanishes in a cloud of swirling black smoke!  
> Narukami grins at her; she adjusts her hat with a shy answering smile.  
   
Rise  
"One down!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, could you summon your Persona, please?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Of course."  
   
> You summon Messiah; it feels easier to do it this time.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"If you have anything that can attack all of them at once, try that."  
   
> You're not entirely sure you know what that means, but...  
> For some reason you feel like you know what to do...?  
> Messiah raises its hands and a sudden wave of magical energy crashes over all three of the monsters.  
> All three of them vanish, defeated in one blow.  
> The spell seems to have drawn energy from you; you feel significantly more tired than you did before you cast it.  
   
**HP: 105** /300  
**SP: 75** /300  
   
> You suppose it wouldn't do you any good to dwell on how exactly that works.  
   
Yosuke  
"Wh... whoa..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Megidolaon?"  
   
Naoto  
"From the start, he's already more powerful than Sukuna-Hikona... incredible..."  
   
> Apparently, whatever you just did was very impressive.  
> You blink, because your vision is swimming a bit, and smile weakly.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"Was that good?"  
   
Rise  
"Are you kidding?? That was amazing!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"It wasn't _that_ great."  
   
> Narukami picks up a few bits of strange shiny junk that the Shadows apparently left behind and shoves them into his pockets.  
   
> The next cluster of Shadows that attacks does so from behind. There's a lot of them... six, it looks like.  
> You can't get into a good position before they strike. One of them, a hulking vaguely person-shaped thing with long thick knives for arms, knocks down both Narukami and Yosuke.  
> It turns to you.  
   
Rise  
"Light, be careful!!"  
   
> It lunges for you!!  
> You can't get out of the way or summon your Persona in time!!  
> The Shadow stabs you with one of its knife arms! It completely runs you through, and jerks its arm up, ripping through your organs and ribcage.  
> Blood wells up in your throat. You cough, and blood sprays out of your mouth.  
   
Rise  
"No!!!"  
   
Naoto  
"Yagami-san!!"  
   
> Everything stops for a moment.  
> You feel very...  
> ...  
> Cold.  
   
**HP: 0** /300  
**SP: 75** /300  
   
**> You have died.**  
> Your entire body shudders. You blink. Warmth envelopes your body. You feel weightless.  
> You are floating about an inch above the ground; Messiah lets you down, and you land softly on your feet, upright and intact.  
> Nothing hurts any more.  
> There's no wound in your chest. Your clothes are fine. But for the lingering echo of pain and the taste of blood in your mouth, you might think it hadn't happened at all.  
> Is this... normal?  
> There's no time to dwell on it now. There's still six enemies in front of you, making noises that sound halfway between mechanical and animal, preparing for another attack.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, wait-- you should be careful, you're not--"  
   
> You ignore him.  
> Messiah gestures at the Shadows and casts the same spell you used in your first battle. All of the Shadows disintegrate.  
   
**HP: 300** /300  
**SP: 0** /300  
   
> The spell drains all of your energy...  
> You collapse to your knees on the floor, vision swimming.  
> You're exhausted... even though you're not hurt any more, you feel terrible. Your entire body is too heavy... you feel like you haven't slept in a week.  
   
Rise  
"Out of energy already--!? That's... ohh, Light, you liar!! You said you felt fine!! I should've known you'd need more time to recover."  
   
Rise  
"Guys, Light was way more tired than he let on... he used up all his energy on those two fights because he was already low when he came in."  
   
> It seems that Rise's Persona gives her some sort of information on how much energy you have.  
> It'll be impossible to lie to her about that, then... how irritating.  
> You force yourself to stand up.  
> Narukami is at your side in a flash, eyes large and worried. He doesn't touch you, but he hovers nearby like he wants you to lean on him.  
> You smile at him, a silent polite acknowledgement of the offer, and you do not lean on him. You can stand on your own.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Let's go back."  
   
> Yosuke throws his hands up, exasperated.  
   
Yosuke  
"We didn't even get through an entire floor! Let's just send him home and keep climbing without him!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san is a part of the team now. That's not how we treat members of the team. Either we all do this, or none of us."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He needs to rest. We can try again when he's properly recovered from his Shadow confrontation."  
   
Rise  
"I should've been able to tell immediately. I'm really sorry, Senpai."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's not your fault."  
   
> He looks at you and lowers his voice.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Have you eaten today?"  
   
> You keep smiling and try not to look like you're starving. You're not really sure what that means, but you suspect it means looking normal and energetic. Nobody ever accused you of having an eating disorder when you were in school, so you try to look more like you did then.  
   
Light Yagami, A Normal and Healthy Guy  
"Of course."  
   
> Narukami looks skeptical, but unwilling to badger you about it in front of everyone.  
> Everyone trudges downstairs. Narukami hovers next to you for a while, reminding you very strongly of your mother, but once he's satisfied you're not about to keel over he catches up with Yosuke  
> He puts his hand on the middle of Yosuke's back and leans in close, looking worried.  
> It seems that Narukami exists in a perpetual state of unnecessary worry.  
> Yosuke twitches away, bristling and grumbling.  
 

 **> Outside Junes...**  
   
> Everyone goes their separate ways...  
> You decided to go home and go back to sleep.  
> However, before you even get to the sidewalk...  
> Someone grabs a fistful of your hair and swings you against the wall!!  
   
Light Yagami  
"!?"  
   
> They slam their arm against your throat and pin you in place, pressing uncomfortably close into your personal space. They jab the barrel of a gun under your chin, forcing your head back slightly.  
> That's twice in the last few days you've been slammed up against walls and choked. You hope this isn't going to be a continuing trend.  
> It's not Adachi this time. You've never seen this boy before.  
> He's a few inches shorter than you. Young. Foreign. Chin-length blond hair. Dressed entirely in black. Half his face is badly burned; the scarring looks recent.  
> Despite the aggression, he appears to be completely calm. His face is blank. Looking him in the eyes sends a chill crackling up your spine... his eyes are strangely cold.  
   
Foreign Criminal  
"Light Yagami. Keep your hands where I can see them or I'll pull the trigger."  
   
> Shit.  
> You recognize his voice. Mello... Mihael Keehl... not dead, after all. You thought as much.  
> So this is what he looks like...  
> Does he know you're involved in the case? The only way you would recognize his voice is if you were, but if he doesn't know that, you don't want to give it away.  
> He found you. He must know. There's no other reason to come and find you... right?  
> What does he want? Is he here to kill you?  
> No... if he were here to kill you, he would have just shot you, surely. And why would he be here to kill you? He shouldn't know about your involvement in the case, let alone where you are. Someone must have told him.  
> Near... did Near tell him where you are? Did he tell Mello that he suspects you're Kira and tell him to come here...?  
> Your mind is racing.  
> If Near didn't tell him, then who else could have...? Someone else from the investigation? They cared about your father too much to tell Mello anything.  
> Sayu....  
> Panic seizes your chest.  
> What if he got to Sayu again? Is that possible?  
> Dammit...!  
> You have to calm down. It must have been Near. He's behind this... if he's behind this, he's up to something. He wants you to panic, feel backed into a corner. You won't let it get to you.  
> Mello showing his face is an act of desperation. If he knows anything about you, then he should know that you know his name. If he suspects you're Kira, then he should know that you can kill him at any time.  
> Is he banking on you holding back because it's too suspicious...?  
   
Light Yagami  
"Mello."  
   
Mello  
"Nice to finally meet you. Near asked me to come keep an eye on you."  
   
> Your jaw tightens. Of course he did. What else did he say...?  
   
Mello  
"Normally I'd tell him to fuck off, but... he's practically handing me the case on a silver platter. If you step one toe out of line, then I'll be the one to catch you."  
   
> He narrows his eyes and smiles up at you.  
   
Mello  
"... _Kira_."


	12. the truth is not in us

Light Yagami  
"I see. Near sent you here to follow me around, even though there are real killers out there who need to be caught... this is harrassment, plain and simple."  
   
Light Yagami  
"You killed my father. You _abducted_ Sayu--"  
   
Mello  
"Spare me the theatrics."  
   
Mello  
"Here's the deal, Light Yagami. Either you kill me and prove to Near that you're Kira, or you let me live long enough to find some evidence to put you away for good. You're cornered."  
   
> You're never cornered. There's a way out of every situation.  
> You can talk your way out of this. You can always talk your way out of this.  
> You feel a phantom tug at your wrist, which you ignore.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not Kira. There's no evidence to find."  
   
> You cock your head to the side, slightly. The gun pressing against the underside of your chin is really uncomfortable.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Why are you so willing to take Near's word for it that I'm Kira? He has no proof. He just has a theory. A theory that L, the greatest detective in the world, _discarded._ "  
   
Light Yagami  
"You didn't come after me until Near told you to, so it's not like your independent investigation led you to me."  
   
Mello  
"On the contrary."  
   
Light Yagami  
"...?"  
   
> Mello presses the gun harder against your chin, forcing you to tilt your head back further.  
   
Mello  
"Kira killed the first hostage we took, but not the second."  
   
Mello  
"Director Takimura of the NPA... he was cooperating with Kira, right? But even so, Kira killed him, because he wanted so desperately to keep the notebook out of the hands of criminals."  
   
Mello  
"And yet, Sayu Yagami survives."  
   
Light Yagami  
"We kept Sayu's abduction a secret. The entire police department knew about the director... Kira got the information from one of them and killed him. We restricted the information to keep Sayu safe, and it worked."  
   
Mello  
"Regardless, cross-referencing the list of people who knew about the kidnapping with the people investigated by the FBI when they first came to Japan gives us a very small pool of suspects."  
   
Mello  
"That list of names and dates... the US government still has that information, you know. You must have thought it was lost when L's data was erased, right? Because you're an idiot."  
   
> .......  
> This... could be bad.  
   
Mello  
"I bet you don't remember Yuri, do you, Light?"  
   
> Yuri...?  
> You don't know who he's talking about.  
> You keep quiet; if he's anything like L, once he's started explaining something he won't stop.  
   
Mello  
"You went on a few dates in high school."  
   
> You laugh, airy and slightly sarcastic. It sounds very effectively unconcerned.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I dated a lot of people in high school, Mello."  
   
Mello  
"You had a particularly memorable date with Yuri."  
   
> Taking his arm off your throat, he rummages in one of his coat pockets and pulls out...  
> A strip of photos from a photobooth...?  
> It must be years old... it looks worn and faded. There's a small hole in the top from a thumbtack. It seems to have been pinned to a wall or something for a very long time.  
> The pictures are of you in high school. You're with some girl; both of you are smiling. You look close... like you're on a date.  
> On the bottom of the photostrip is the gaudy Spaceland logo.  
   
Mello  
"Allow me to refresh your memory, Light Yagami."  
   
Mello  
"During the time in which you were being tailed by an FBI agent, you were a victim of a  busjacking on your way to Spaceland. The culprit was a criminal whose name and face had been broadcast previously on the news, but had mysteriously avoided Kira's judgement. He ran into traffic and died before receiving the money he demanded."  
   
Mello  
"Raye Penber, the FBI agent following you, reported the incident, but the details were sparse. Neither he nor the news reported that he'd shown his ID to anyone on the bus. But Yuri was more than happy to recount the details of the incident."  
   
Mello  
"She remembers them quite clearly, you see. She distinctly remembers the FBI agent sitting behind you. She said you were _so_ smart-- you made sure to ask him for some identification, to make sure he wasn't one of the culprit's accomplices. She said that never would have occurred to her."  
   
> Shit.  
> _Shit._  
> You forgot about her. You'd put her out of your mind completely.  
> You assumed she wouldn't tell anyone... or if she did, she wouldn't tell them in that much detail what happened. The fact that he showed you his ID wasn't supposed to be notable or important enough for her to remember.  
   
Mello  
"Funny coincidence: Raye Penber was killed by Kira not long after that."  
   
Mello  
"Another funny thing: his fiancee, Naomi Misora, had worked with L on a case in Los Angeles before. Turns out she investigated his death. She spoke to Yuri. Yuri said she seemed determined and intelligent. She was shocked to hear Misora had killed herself. Said she had a fierceness about her, didn't seem the suicide type."  
   
Mello  
"The L you killed didn't know that Kira could kill using means other than heart attacks, and so the busjacking wasn't considered as part of the case."  
   
Mello  
"Looking at it with that in mind, with all the details of what happened, your orchestration reveals itself. 'A drug addict goes crazy and starts hallucinating...' Heh."  
   
Mello  
"I bet the scenario sounded really plausible to you at the time. You thought it was a tidy little cover-up. A sheltered teenager from a rich family, indeed."  
   
> He looks amused.  
> You aren't sure why.  
   
Mello  
"You really don't remember. He was a _weed dealer_. He never dealt with anything harder than that. You didn't know a single goddamn thing about drugs when you were a teenager, did you?"  
   
> ............  
> After all this time, you'd forgotten.  
> No one else has bothered to reexamine that incident... they all forgot about it.  
> You thought you tied it up with Naomi Misora...  
> Yuri... dammit.  
   
Mello  
"The scenario you cooked up is fine at a glance, but it doesn't hold up under any kind of scrutiny. You think you're so smart, but all you are is lucky."  
   
> Shit. Shit. Shit.  
> You have to kill him.  
> It can't be with a heart attack. You have to kill him, but you can't look responsible in any way. It can't be connected to Kira. Near will leap on it and immediately accuse you, no matter what the cause of death is.  
> You need an alibi. You need something that can't be traced back to you. If you write his name in the Death Note, Near will search your person and desk and bags and rooms for notes... even if you get rid of the piece with his name on it, he'll seize all your paper and examine all of it.  
> You could destroy all the pages of the Death Note you brought with you, but that's a terrible idea. You need them. Especially with the situations with Takada and Mikami and Adachi being what they are...  
> Shit.  
> Stay calm. Stay calm. You have to stay calm.  
> Your heart is pounding in your throat.  
   
Light Yagami  
"You don't have anything more than circumstantial evidence... so what if I was on that bus? That doesn't prove anything. You have no proof that I'm the only one who he showed his ID to while he was working. I mean, with that kind of logic, couldn't you also argue that Yuri is Kira?"  
   
> You laugh and shrug.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Listen, even I have to admit it's a good theory, but... it's just conjecture. It was a long time ago... and there's nothing to back up Yuri's version of events. I don't remember seeing his ID, and no one else can testify as to what happened. Even if I did see his ID... it probably had a fake name on it, right?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Anyway, you talk a big game, but there's nothing stopping me from arresting you right now. If not for killing my father and orchestrating my sister's kidnapping, then for assault and illegal possession of a firearm."  
   
Mello  
"Nothing stopping you? How about the fact that if you try, I'll cut off your arms and legs? Look at you. You've never even been in a fight before, have you?"  
   
> Well...  
> L kicked you in the face a few times.  
> If those count as fights, then the only fights you've ever been in did not go very well.  
> In a physical confrontation between yourself and Mello, you would not win. You could shoot him, but you'd have to take your gun out to do that and you can't do that with him this close.  
> If you try to get any help from the rest of the department... Near might intervene. You're not L right now; he is. He has the authority to tell them not to help, and considering he sent Mello here to mess with you... he would.  
> You have no backup. You can't fight him.  
> It seems that at least for now... there's nothing you can do.  
   
Mello  
"Yeah, that's what I fuckin' thought."  
   
Light Yagami  
"So, what? You're going to keep stalking me until I do something incriminating? If you're so sure I'm Kira, why not just kill me now?"  
   
> Mello rolls his eyes at you.  
   
Mello  
"There's a limited number of notebooks in this world, and I want them. If I just kill you, I'll probably never find 'em all. No, I'm going to put pressure on you until you crack. I'm good at that."  
   
> Mello smirks.  
   
Mello  
"...Not that I'd have to be. You're halfway there already."  
   
> He releases you and takes a step back, putting his gun away somewhere under his outrageous coat.  
> Then, as if this whole affair wasn't absurd enough, he pulls a chocolate bar out of his coat and peels off some of the wrapper.  
   
Mello  
"See you around."  
   
> Mello pivots on his heels and walks away, obviously very pleased with himself, eating his chocolate bar.  
> You try to reach for your gun...  
> Before you come close to touching it, Mello whips around!  
> He's moving so fast you don't even see the knife he threw until it hits you in the arm!!  
   
**HP: 239** /300  
**SP: 0** /300  
   
Light Yagami  
" _Aaagh!_ "  
   
> Mello is smirking at you again.  
> With an audible cracking sound, he snaps off a large chunk of chocolate with his teeth, staring at you with unsettlingly wide eyes.  
> You hiss in a breath through your teeth, clutching at your now-bleeding arm and scowling back at him.  
   
Mello  
"Tell your sister I said hi."  
   
> Your blood runs cold.  
> Sayu...  
> Mello walks away with a cheerful bounce in his step.  
> You decide not to try for your gun again. Instead, you yank the knife out of your arm and walk home with your hand pressed firmly against the wound.

  
**> Your Apartment...**  
  
> You're bleeding. There is a knife wound in your upper arm. You're exhausted.  
> Coming to Inaba may have been a mistake.  
> Since you got to this wretched town, you've been choked, mauled, attacked, screamed at, threatened, and stabbed more times than is at all reasonable.  
> You peel off your shirt and jacket and carefully inspect the left arm, where Mello hit you. The knife cut through both layers of fabric... they're stained with blood and torn. At this rate, you're going to have to replace your whole wardrobe.  
> You run cold water in the bathroom sink and leave both the shirt and jacket in it to soak, a half-hearted attempt at not staining them. If the blood doesn't ruin them, maybe you could repair them... if you knew how to sew.  
> You do not know how to sew.  
> You clean the blood off your arm with a damp handtowel, then press the handtowel against the wound and lean against the wall.  
> You are not in a good mood.  
> Should you wake up every morning prepared to get murdered by monsters or slammed against walls by smug violent criminals? Is this your everyday life for the forseeable future?  
> Mello...  
> Near sent the man who killed your father to Inaba just to get a rise out of you. That's low. Near is daring you to kill Mello. Daring you to exact revenge for what he did to your family and incriminate yourself in the process.  
> Your lip curls in disgust.  
> All you could do was get thrown around like a ragdoll. Like some sort of damsel in distress. You were humiliated.  
> You really are just as pathetic as Narukami and Adachi think you are.  
> Anger prickles at your skin. You can't stand still, even though you're exhausted. You stalk back out of the bathroom, but the sudden movement makes you dizzy.  
> You press your forehead against the wall and close your eyes.  
> You can figure this out. You can maneuver your way out of this.  
> The bus hijacking is a loose end. They can prove you went on that date on that day. They could probably prove you were on that bus, and so was Raye Penber. They couldn't prove that he showed you his ID, or that you killed him.  
> It's not that useful. You shouldn't let it rattle you so badly.  
> ...  
> You're rattled anyway. The bus hijacking information will be enough to turn the investigation team on you, if they have any sense at all.  
> You need to kill Mello. You need to kill a lot of people. Near. His team. Mogi. Aizawa. Ide. Matsuda. Mello.  
> Maybe you should just get rid of all of them... Mikami, Misa, Kiyomi. Yuri. All those little pieces you've scattered around the gameboard are being turned against you. Better to start with a clean slate. Fresh. No loose ends, no rogue agents, no one who could tell anyone anything. You could go back to your real job in Information Processing with no one the wiser.  
> Mello and Near were the top students at that orphanage they came from... anyone else that might come after you will be less of a challenge. It took them years to build their cases. You'll have room to move.  
> You decided it would be best to clear the board and get your Death Note back.  
> How are you going to get Near and his team, though? That's the most important piece.  
> It's several steps ahead, but you need to think it through now. Could you use Mello? You have his name and his face, now, but... you have no way of knowing if he knows Near's real name.  
> You don't know enough. You should just kill him.  
> The man following Mikami and Halle Lidner are better options. Mikami can use his eyes on either of them.  
> You could control one of them. You could have him or her gather the SPK members in one place and get photographs of them all to Mikami using a cellphone or hidden camera. Then Mikami can kill them all, and you can force him to give you your note back before he dies. Then you just get rid of the rest in one go.  
> Yes... that's what you'll do.  
> It's a given that Near will be on the lookout for unusual behavior from both Lidner and the other one. What if he has some rule, that neither of them can see him in person until he's sure they're not being controlled? You would, if you were him.  
> The SPK definitely knows his face, though. Like L, it would have been necessary for him to show himself in order to gain their trust. They have physical access to him.  
> To see them despite the risk... he would have to believe it was an emergency of some kind, and at the same time suspect nothing.  
> Urgh...  
> Should you keep Mello alive and use him to get to Near, or should you kill him as soon as possible?  
> Mello is volatile and unpredictable enough that distinguishing "normal behavior" from "suspicious behavior" would be nigh impossible, but... it also surely means that Near would be even more careful with him than he is with members of the SPK.  
> You should probably just kill him.  
> But how...?  
> It's difficult to think when your arm hurts this much.  
> You decided to just go to bed.

  
**> October 28 th...**  
   
> You still feel terrible when you get up in the morning.  
> You feel lightheaded and dizzy, actually. From the blood loss. You rip your torn-up shirt into strips and use them to bandage your arm before you go to work.  
 

 **> Inaba Police Station...**  
   
Adachi  
"Wow, Yagami. You look terrible."  
   
> Adachi is in a good mood.  
> You try to ignore him.  
   
Adachi  
"Seriously, you look like death warmed over."  
   
Adachi  
"Like you died yesterday and then got resurrected. That kind of look, you know?"  
   
> It seems that Adachi saw what happened in the TV world yesterday. This is troubling, but not entirely unexpected.  
> You keep ignoring him and start doing your work...  
> Adachi snaps a rubber band at your face.  
> You snatch it out of the air, but the sudden movement aggravates your knife wound. You wince.  
> Adachi raises his eyebrows.  
   
Adachi  
"Oh? What was that pained grimace?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Pained grimace? You're imagining things."  
   
> Adachi spends the rest of the day trying to get you to wince again without attracting Dojima's attention...  
> Since you know that's what he's trying to do, it's easy to stop yourself from reacting.  
> ...Until he follows you into the empty break room and grabs your arm while you're trying to make coffee.  
> His grip puts his thumb right on top of your wound!  
> It hurts!!  
   
**HP: 229** /300  
**SP: 0** /300  
   
Light Yagami  
"......kh."  
   
> He's smiling. You would like very much to punch that sickening bland smile off his face.  
   
Adachi  
"Ah, sorry, Yagami-kun, does that hurt? My bad!"  
   
Adachi  
"How's this?"  
   
> He tightens his grip on your arm.  
> The pain intensifies... you can't not react.  
> You clench your jaw tight and stare determinedly at a fixed point on the wall.  
   
**HP: 219** /300  
**SP: 0** /300  
   
Light Yagami  
"Kkhgh."  
   
Adachi  
"Much better!"  
   
Adachi  
"You know, it's actually impressive that you managed to get stabbed in Inaba of all places. What's with that? How'd you manage it? Did you pick a fight with a little old lady?"  
   
> So he doesn't know about Mello. Yet. His appearance is so outrageous, there's no way he won't draw attention. Especially in such a small town.  
> That's just a matter of time.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I didn't get stabbed."  
   
Adachi  
"Oh, of course not. Since this doesn't hurt, right?"  
   
> He actually digs his thumb into the wound.  
> Even through several layers of fabric, it hurts.  
> Pain lances through your entire body. You can feel yourself shaking.  
   
Ryuzaki  
"It's pointless to keep up this act, Yagami-kun. It's been forty-five days now and there have been no Kira killings. Admit that you're Kira."  
   
> You won't give in.  
> You can't be broken that easily.  
   
Light Yagami  
"No."  
   
Adachi  
"Haha... you're such a weirdo."  
 

 **> Central Shopping District, South...**  
   
> On your way home from work, you see Mello outside the gas station.  
> He's sort of lounging on his motorcycle with his helmet off. He gives you a hostile look as you pass by, but he doesn't say anything.  
> Should you warn Sayu?  
> If the situations were reversed, you would be furious if she didn't tell you Mello was alive and threatening her... you would want to know.  
> But Sayu isn't you. She's fragile. You have to protect her. She's just starting to recover... telling her about Mello could set her recovery back. Even if it doesn't do that much damage, she'll be worried about you.  
> You shouldn't tell her... after all, you're going to kill him soon. You can't re-traumatize her over nothing.  
> You decided not to tell Sayu about Mello.  
   
> As you continue making your way home, a few concerned townspeople ask you about Mello... apparently he's frightening everyone. You tell them that the police are monitoring the situation and that if he does anything at all suspicious they should inform you immediately.  
> You stop by Shiroku to get first aid supplies... it's difficult to find actual supplies amongst the overabundance of folk remedies.  
> You really hate this town.  
> Then, as you're almost home, your phone rings.  
   
Light Yagami, Definitely Not In Any Amount Of Pain  
"This is Yagami."  
   
Dojima  
"It's me."  
   
> He sighs. He sounds exhausted.  
> What's this about...? Mello? Narukami?  
   
Dojima  
"I hate to do this again, but... I guess my nephew is doing some sort of... I don't know what. He's doing some things for his school's culture festival this weekend, and Nanako found out about it, and now she wants to go."  
   
Dojima  
"I'm tied up this weekend, and so's Adachi... and Nanako really seems to like you..."  
   
> He trails off.  
> It seems that he wants you to take Nanako to Narukami's high school culture festival this weekend.  
> You don't have anything better to do, since all you can do for now is keep investigating the TV world, and you can't do that without Narukami's gang...  
> Going to this would help cement you as a part of their friend group. You're not sure you want that. You think about having to spend two days in a row with Yosuke alternately sulking and gawking at you and Yu desperately trying to get you to like him...  
> Ugh. Just thinking about it makes your skin crawl.  
> If you refuse, though, Nanako will be upset _and_ home by herself.  
> ......  
> You pinch the bridge of your nose and try to sound enthusiastic.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I'd be happy to take Nanako-chan and walk around with her for a while."  
   
Dojima  
"Thank you. It's tomorrow and the day after... tomorrow he's doing something or other with his class, and then the day after that I think he's helping with the school beauty pageants."  
   
Light Yagami  
"School beauty pageants...?"  
   
Dojima  
"Yeah."  
   
> He sighs again. He sounds a little bit exasperated... perhaps he doesn't approve of the beauty pageants.  
> Understandable. Encouraging teenaged girls to be even more shallow and focused on their looks than they already are seems irresponsible. Shouldn't they be encouraged to do something useful, instead?  
> You click your tongue disapprovingly.  
   
Light Yagami  
"That's hardly an enriching educational activity."  
   
Dojima  
"Tell me about it. Even the kids don't really enjoy 'em. I don't even know why they do them any more, but... what can you do?"  
   
> You can think of several things he could do.  
> You think it would come off as sanctimonious and rude to suggest anything, so you just make a sympathetic-disapproving-agreement noise.  
   
Dojima  
"So... yeah. You'll pick her up tomorrow morning?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Sure thing."  
   
Dojima  
"Thank you so much. You're a lifesaver. I owe you... again."  
   
> It seems you'll be spending your weekend at Yasogami High School with Nanako.  
> When you get home, you try to sew up the wound on your arm.  
> It goes somewhat poorly.  
   
**HP: 199** /300  
**SP: 0** /300  
   
> You may have made it worse.  
> You bandage it up and decide that as long as it doesn't get infected, it's probably fine.  
 

 **> October 29 th...**  
   
> Nanako is raring to go as soon as you arrive at her house.  
> She's so small and full of energy... her excitement is so pure, it's impossible not to smile. Her experience of the world is so pure and simple. Even though she's surrounded by the filth of this world... she stays above it.  
> She really is amazing.  
   
Nanako  
"Big bro said you were sick. Are you feeling okay now?"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"Mm-hmm. I just needed to rest for a little while."  
   
> She beams up at you, practically glowing with joy.  
   
Nanako  
"That's great! When I get sick and I need to rest, sometimes I get to watch movies and stuff. Did you watch movies?"  
   
> You and Nanako talked about various things while walking to school.  
> She is perfect.  
 

 **> Yasogami High School...**  
   
> The hallways are bustling. Every class is doing something different. There's a lot of poorly-made paper decorations and unenthusiastic teenagers cluttering up the place. Everyone's talking at the same time.  
> It's been a long time since you were inside a high school. They're all pretty much the same, everywhere you go. The people are the same, too... texting, bickering, laughing too loudly.  
> This place feels a little bit different from your high school. There's a feeling of community. Everyone knows everyone else, and you don't see anyone being openly hostile anywhere you look. Everyone is getting along. Nobody is isolated.  
> You feel almost at ease.  
   
Nanako  
"Wow, there's so much to do!!"  
   
> Nanako is practically jumping up and down, she's so excited.  
   
Nanako  
"There's a play!! And balloon animals!!"  
   
> There's a sign near the stairs advertising a play... "Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet" performed by one of the second-year classes.  
> Evidently, the class couldn't decide which Shakespeare play to perform, so they combined two... considering the length and complexity of the plays, there's absolutely no way this could possibly be anything but a huge disaster.  
> You take Nanako to get a balloon animal, then walk her through some of the other classrooms. There's an exhibition of local artifacts that is thoroughly boring, poorly put-together, and full of misinformation. You pretend to be interested in a table full of rocks while Nanako excitedly listens to a teenager explain a display of handmade combs.  
   
Naoki Konishi  
"Oh, you're here."  
   
> Saki Konishi's brother, Naoki, is here. He looks pale and stressed out.  
> You smile at him.  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Police Officer  
"Hello. Glad to see you're at school."  
   
> He shrugs.  
   
Naoki  
"My parents wanted me to come... they said I shouldn't miss out on my high school life, or something... I dunno. What're you doing?"  
   
> You nod at Nanako.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"My coworker, Dojima-san, asked me to take his daughter so that she could see her cousin."  
   
> He looks at Nanako with a distant vague expression on his face.  
   
Naoki  
"Ah... that's nice of you. You must have had something better to do, but you came to spend time with her."  
   
> He glances back at you and gives you a strained smile.  
   
Naoki  
"I'm not being passive-aggressive or anything. I really do think it's nice. I just thought I should say, since people have trouble reading me sometimes."  
   
Light Yagami, Friendly Neighborhood Cop  
"I am making some progress on your sister's case. I can't give you any details, but I think I'm onto something real."  
   
> Naoki's eyes widen slightly in surprise.  
> He seems unsure of what to say.  
   
Naoki  
"Oh. That's... good."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Did you hear about Mitsuo Kubo?"  
   
> Naoki nods.  
   
Naoki  
"Yeah. I was actually surprised... I never thought about how Kira must sometimes kill the wrong guy... I guess even I kind of thought he was a god for real, you know? Like, infallible or whatever... but in the end, he really is just a murderer."  
   
> Your entire body goes very tense.  
> Mikami... he's definitely got to go. He's ruining your image.  
> Naoki tilts his head to the side, gazing distantly at something in the middle distance.  
   
Naoki  
"Do you think Kira feels bad, when he makes a mistake?"  
   
Ryuzaki  
"Kira is incapable of remorse. He has no empathy. Or, rather... if he's capable of it, he is able to choose not to feel it."  
   
Naoki  
"He says he wants to protect people and keep us safe, but if that's true... then Sis wouldn't be dead. Or he wouldn't have killed the wrong guy. If he really cared, wouldn't he make sure the people he kills are actually guilty, instead of just believing whatever he sees on TV? Wouldn't he apologize for making mistakes?"  
   
Ryuzaki  
"He _thinks_ he has empathy for the victims of violent crimes, but in actuality he only has empathy for the idealized construction of 'the victim' as something pure and innocent. If someone fails to conform to his impossible standards of purity, then his empathy is withdrawn. In reality, there isn't anyone who he would consider worthy of his empathy... because there's no such thing as a perfect person."  
   
Ryuzaki  
"Is conditional and inevitably temporary empathy really empathy at all?"  
   
> The specter of Ryuzaki is staring at you, hunched over and ghoulish and blurry at the edges.  
> But of course he's not really here.  
> You may be hallucinating.  
> ...  
> If you're hallucinating, that would mean you're losing your mind. You _aren't_ losing your mind. You blink a few times and the specter is gone.  
> You keep your face arranged into a pleasant sympathetic smile. Or you try to, anyway. You're not sure you remember what that's supposed to look like in the eyes area.  
   
Light Yagami, Definitely Not Hallucinating  
"I don't know if we'll ever know how Kira thinks. Maybe instead of apologizing, he chooses instead to move forward and correct his mistakes."  
   
> Naoki snorts.  
   
Naoki  
"I don't think so. He probably just pretends it never happened. That's what everyone else does when they make a mistake."  
   
> Nanako, apparently finished with the combs, bounces back over to you.  
   
Nanako  
"Let's go to big bro's class!!"  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"Alright, let's go. It was good to see you, Konishi-san."  
   
> Naoki shrugs.  
   
> You go upstairs.  
> The doorways to class 2-2 are decorated with garish pink curtains... the sign outside says their booth is a "group date café."  
> Chie mentioned this, didn't she? She seemed rather upset about it. Not only a group date café, but an unenthusiastically put on group date café.  
> You are filled with a sense of deep trepidation.  
   
Nanako  
"Group date café? What's that?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"I guess we're going to find out."  
   
> Inside, it's a grim situation.  
> There are paper garlands draped around the walls, and the desks have been pushed together and draped with paper tablecloths to look like tables.  
> There's only six people in here. They're all sitting around one of the tables.  
> On one side, there's Yosuke, Kanji, and a boy you don't recognize. On the other: Yukiko, Chie, and Yu. Is he sitting on the girl's side...?  
> Why are you even surprised, at this point? Of course he is.  
> Everyone looks uncomfortable, apart from Yu.  
   
Nanako  
"Hey, big bro!"  
   
> Everyone looks up.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"!!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Oh, no."  
   
> Chie smiles feebly.  
   
Chie  
"Hey, Nanako-chan..."  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"Oh, great. Just what we needed. A little kid and an adult man. That'll definitely make this better and not worse."  
   
> Nanako runs over to the table.  
   
Nanako  
"Are you playing a game?"  
   
Kanji  
"Kinda..."  
   
Chie  
"I guess it's sort of like a game."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We're pretending to be on a group date."  
   
Nanako  
"I want to play, too!"  
   
> They all exchange concerned looks. Except for Yu, who seems delighted by the idea.  
   
Chie  
"Uh... gee, I don't know, Nanako-chan..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It'll be fun."  
   
Yosuke  
"Wh-- hang on!!"  
   
> Yu looks at you with the same wide-eyed look he gave you when he tried to get you to put on the gag glasses.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, that means you have to play, too."  
   
Light Yagami  
"That seems inappropriate."  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's not."  
   
> You get the feeling that Yu Narukami often wins arguments by just being more confident than the other person.  
   
Yosuke  
"Well-- whatever, then he can take my seat, I don't want to--"  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"No, then we'll have an uneven number. If Narukami-san's cousin is going to join us, that guy has to as well."  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"I think it would probably be better if neither of them joined, but I guess nobody cares about my opinion."  
   
Yosuke  
"But--"  
   
Chie  
"You can't just leave! This whole stupid booth was your idea in the first place, wasn't it?! Stand your ground!!"  
   
> Yukiko steeples her fingers and leans over the table with a confident smirk on her face.  
   
Yukiko  
"Unless you're saying you're too chicken."  
   
Yosuke  
"You... you know this isn't a competition, right?"  
   
> Yukiko looks a little bit perplexed.  
   
Yukiko  
"Is it not?"  
   
> You're not sure she actually knows what a group date is.  
   
Kanji  
"Yukiko-senpai is onto something. Everything's better if it's competitive."  
   
Yosuke  
"Not _dating!!_ "  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I beg to differ."  
   
> Yosuke looks alarmed.  
> Nanako pulls a chair over so she can sit next to Yu.  
> It seems you don't have much of a choice... you can stand here and watch them have a group date, or you can be a part of it.  
   
Kanji  
"C'mon, Yagami-san, siddown."  
   
Yosuke  
"But-- but he's an adult!! It's weird!!"  
   
Yukiko  
"It's not like we're dating for real, Yosuke-kun."  
   
Chie  
"Yeah, Yosuke. It's just a demo."  
   
> She jerks her head at Yu and gives Yosuke a weird meaningful look, presumably meant to communicate to him that they should let you join their date because Yu wants you there.  
> Yosuke tightens his jaw and shakes his head at her. They bicker silently by pulling increasingly outrageous faces at each other.  
> After a moment, Yosuke groans and throws up his hands.  
   
Yosuke  
"Whatever! Fine!"  
   
> It would be for the best to refuse, but Nanako joins Yu with an equally imploring look, so you sigh and pull up a chair next to Kanji.  
> Kanji very obviously tries to keep his cool. He nods at you.  
   
Kanji  
"Hey, man."  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"Okay, great. Now that everyone's here... I guess we should get started."  
   
Nanako  
"How does it work?"  
   
Yosuke  
"We ask each other questions... basically."  
   
> Nanako gets very excited.  
   
Nanako  
"Ooh!! I heard a good one! What US American state is the famous Mt. Rushmore located in?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Not... not that kind of question..."  
   
> Kanji cuts him off by slamming his hand on the table and imitating a buzzer noise. Chie jumps and yelps, startled.  
> Evidently, he does not know what a group date is, either.  
   
Kanji  
"M... W... shit, I don't know any states, actually. Is it-- is it New York?"  
   
Nanako  
"Wrong!!"  
   
> Kanji slumps over, disappointed.  
   
Kanji  
"Dammit..."  
   
Chie  
"Kanji, why'd you buzz in if you didn't know the answer??"  
   
Kanji  
"I was operating on instinct!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"What kind of instincts??"  
   
Chie  
"His finely-tuned warrior instincts, obviously!"  
   
> Nanako frowns and sort of puffs out her cheeks in indignation.  
   
Nanako  
"You guys have to answer the question!!"  
   
> It seems like the others are going to start getting into one of their fights again.  
> Also, you're not sure any of these people know where Mt. Rushmore is.  
> Yu might, but he's gazing at you with his chin propped up on his hand sort of expectantly. Is he waiting for _you_ to try to answer the trivia question...?  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"South Dakota."  
   
Nanako  
"You got it!! You're so good at trivia!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"But he didn't buzz in. That's against the rules."  
   
Nanako  
"Oh... that's true. No points for Yagami-san."  
   
> Are you playing for points now...?  
> You're more annoyed than you should be that you didn't get points. You don't even have buzzers.  
   
Yukiko  
"Ooh, I have one, too! How many days of shooting did it take to make the groundbreaking 1999 film _The Blair Witch Project?_ "  
   
Yosuke  
"Seriously, this isn't a quiz show!"  
   
Kanji  
"I know this one!"  
   
> He slams his hand on the table again.  
   
Kanji  
"Bzz bzz!! Eight!!"  
   
> Yukiko gives him a thumbs up.  
   
Yosuke  
"Seriously, everyone, rein it in!! We're not gonna drum up interest if we're just goofing off! If you want me to take this seriously, you guys have to take it seriously, too!!"  
   
Chie  
"Wow."  
   
Yukiko  
"Sorry, Yosuke-kun."  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"Thank you, Hanamura."  
   
> Everyone goes quiet.  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"So... someone please ask a dating question."  
   
> Yu affects a high-pitched voice, but his face stays strange and expressionless. It's very unnerving.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"What kind of girls do y'all like?"  
   
Yukiko  
"Ooh! That's a good one!"  
   
> Yosuke buries his face in his hands.  
   
Yosuke  
"Partner, I am _begging_ you _._ _Please_ do not do a voice."  
   
> Yu sighs, then asks the question again in his normal voice.  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"Cute girls... I guess? Ugh, this is so awkward..."  
   
Kanji  
"Girls..."  
   
> Kanji glances at you, then looks away very quickly. Then his eyes catch on Yu, and he looks away quickly again and just stares at the table.  
   
Kanji  
"I-I guess someone who's kind of mysterious, and looks strong but's actually kinda..."  
   
> He trails off, going very red in the face.  
   
Yosuke  
"You're so embarrassing."  
   
Nanako  
"I like girls who read a lot of books!"  
   
> Everyone looks at her.  
   
Yukiko  
"Nanako-chan... that's great!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Wait... don't you like boys??"  
   
Chie  
"Yosuke, don't push your agenda on little kids!"  
   
Yosuke  
"What??"  
   
> You should intervene before this goes off the rails again. They're all making all kinds of wild assumptions.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"She means as friends, obviously."  
   
Nanako  
"Mmhm!"  
   
Nanako  
"My dad says I'm not allowed to like-like anybody until I'm a grownup."  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"That's for the best."  
   
Chie  
"What about _you_ , Yosuke? What kind of girls do you like?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Me? Oh, uh..."  
   
> His eyes wander to Yu.  
> You feel embarrassed on his behalf. This is painful to watch.  
   
Yosuke  
"Kind... girls...?"  
   
Chie  
"Pffft, what's that even mean?"  
   
Yosuke  
"You know... girls who like to help people, and they're sort of selfless, and they kinda need to be protected... I dunno. Something like that."  
   
> Chie snorts and leans forward, grinning at him.  
   
Chie  
"I'm a little unclear, still, Yosuke. Maybe you could give us an example. Who's like that at our school?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Yu...kiko."  
   
> Somehow, Yu doesn't seem to find anything suspicious about this answer whatsoever.  
> In terms of stupidity, these two are a perfect match for each other.  
   
Yukiko  
"Huh? But that doesn't sound like me at all."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, how about you? What kind of girls do you like?"  
   
> He's overeager and too obvious, as usual.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Me? Well..."  
   
> You touch your chin like you're thinking.  
> You used to have a lot of stock answers lined up for this sort of question, when you were in school. People asked you a lot. Those were peer interactions, though; this is a different situation entirely.  
> Two things occur to you.  
> First: this is an achingly easy opportunity to toy with Yu Narukami. It's low-hanging fruit, really, and probably beneath you, but there it is. He's going to read too much into whatever you say, no matter what it is.  
> If the outcome will be ultimately the same regardless of what you do, then you might as well have fun. If you're going to be stuck in this godforsaken town, interacting with this obnoxious teenagers, there's nothing wrong with entertaining yourself.  
> Second: if you are going to get rid of Misa, Mikami, and Takada, you're going to need a new proxy. You're quite confident that a combination of romantic obsession and fanatical worship is the key to a good proxy.  
> Yu Narukami is particularly easy to manipulate.  
> He's not the perfect candidate, for a variety of reasons, but... it's something to consider.  
> You set this second notion on the backburner for now.  
> You smile.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Well... I suppose I like enthusiastic girls. You know, the friendly type who knows what she wants and goes after it."  
   
> Yu straightens up.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"!!!!"  
   
> The corner of your mouth twitches.  
> People are so predictable. Once you learn how they work, it's astonishingly easy to get what you want from them. Really, interacting with other people is not so different from interacting with computers; all you have to do is know what input to give them and you can make them do whatever you want. You say X; they say Y. Simple as that.  
  
Kanji  
"Oh, like Rise?"  
   
> You give him a sidelong look.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Definitely not."  
   
Chie  
"Yeah, don't be weird, Kanji-kun."  
   
Yosuke  
"Now we get to ask you guys a question."  
   
Nanako  
"But Yukiko and Chie and big bro didn't say what kind of girls they like!"  
   
Chie  
"I'm straight."  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"That's not how this--"  
   
> Yosuke looks suddenly alert.  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah, Yu, you have to tell us what kind of girls you like!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Boys."  
   
> That was a bit more straightforward than you'd expected him to be.  
> Yosuke seems to cycle through several different emotional reactions. It would be fascinating if it wasn't so annoying.  
   
Yosuke  
"Y-- you can't just _say things like that!_ "  
   
> Yosuke is very flustered.  
   
Chie  
"Yosuke, don't be dramatic."  
   
Yukiko  
"Doesn't anyone want to hear what kind of girls _I_ like?"  
   
Nanako  
"I do!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Tall girls."  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"That's... do you mean you're... are you a..."  
   
> Kanji stands up abruptly and leans around Yosuke to glower at the uncomfortable boy.  
   
Kanji  
"You got a freakin' problem, punk?!"  
   
> The boy looks terrified.  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"Ahhh hahaha nope! No problems here!"  
   
Yosuke  
"I wanna go home..."  
   
Chie  
"Quit being a baby and ask us a question!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Okay, okay..."  
   
Yosuke  
"Um... I guess... do you like any of us?"  
   
Nanako  
"Huh? We're all friends. Of course we like you."  
   
Yukiko  
"Oh, I don't think Yosuke-kun means it like that. It's more like... if you had to marry somebody sitting at the table, who would you marry?"  
   
Nanako  
"Ohhh."  
   
Yosuke  
"That's way too serious!! Marriage?? At our age??"  
   
> Yu leans to the side and covers his mouth to stage-whisper at Yukiko.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It seems like Hanamura-kun is afraid of commitment."  
   
Chie  
"Yeah, he wouldn't be a good husband at all with that attitude."  
   
Yukiko  
"And he has bad posture."  
   
> It seems that they are having "girl talk." This kind of thing comes disturbingly easily to Narukami...  
> Yosuke seems even more flustered.  
   
Yosuke  
"This isn't-- why are you-- my posture's not that bad!! Anyway, that's not the point!!"  
   
Kanji  
"I dunno, this question's kinda obvious, though, right?"  
   
Chie  
"Huh?"  
   
Kanji  
"I mean, if we're talking about marriage, you gotta go with Yagami-san. He's got a job."  
   
> That's a surprisingly practical answer.  
> You can almost appreciate that kind of sensibility. At least one of these kids almost has a good head on his shoulders.  
> Almost.  
   
Yukiko  
"Kanji-kun, you'd get married for money? How scandalous."  
   
> Kanji slouches back in his chair and tips his chin back, giving them a comically confident look.  
   
Kanji  
"Hell yeah I would."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Since you didn't marry for love, it's okay if I have an affair with Yagami-san, right?"  
   
> ...There it is. You pinch the bridge of your nose and sigh.  
> Yukiko claps her hands to her mouth and does an exaggerated gasp.  
   
Yukiko  
"Even more scandalous!"  
   
Kanji  
"I dunno, I need to think about it."  
   
> Kanji crosses his arms over his chest and settles back into his chair, apparently deep in thought.  
> Yosuke laughs awkwardly.  
   
Yosuke  
"Hey, come on, now, partner. You wouldn't marry me?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's too late, Yosuke. My heart belongs to another. You weren't ready to commit, remember? I was ready for marriage, but you weren't."  
   
> Yukiko starts giggling into her hands. Kanji is grinning broadly. Nanako looks thoroughly enchanted.  
   
Chie  
"This situation is getting pretty messy."  
   
Yosuke  
"F-fine! Whatever! I'd marry Yukiko, anyway!"  
   
> Yukiko puts up her hand with a solemn expression on her face.  
   
Yukiko  
"I refuse."  
   
Yosuke  
"Wh-- no, I wasn't proposing to you-- wait, how come?!"  
   
> Yukiko folds her hands on her lap again. Her solemn facial expression starts falling apart quickly; she's having too much fun.  
   
Yukiko  
"You're not marriage material."  
   
Yosuke  
"Is this about my posture?? I can fix that!"  
   
Yukiko  
"You wouldn't be helpful at all with running the inn. I'm marrying Chie, obviously."  
   
> Yukiko and Chie high five.  
   
Yosuke  
"Then-- Nanako-chan--"  
   
> Nanako holds up both her hands in a cheerful imitation of Yukiko, smiling broadly.  
   
Nanako  
"I refuse!"  
   
> Yosuke looks stunned, and everyone else bursts into uproarious laughter.  
   
Yosuke  
"Nanako-chan, how could you?!"  
   
Yukiko  
"That's right, Nanako-chan. If a man comes and asks you to marry him, you should always refuse. They're no good."  
   
> Nanako nods, still beaming. She seems to be having a good time.  
   
Nanako  
"They're no good!"  
   
Kanji  
"I've thought about it, Senpai, and I've decided I could never accept it if my husband was having an affair. Even if it's a marriage of convenience, a marriage is a marriage, right? Besides, what if he fell in love with you and then gave you some of his fortune? It's rightfully mine."  
   
> It seems that Kanji actually put quite a bit of thought into this.  
> You are not impressed.  
   
Yosuke  
"Fortune??"  
   
Yukiko  
"Ooh! Is it all in gold dubloons?"  
   
Kanji  
"Hell yeah. Like a pirate. Those dubloons are all mine, baby."  
   
> Your involvement in this plot seems to be changing quite a bit. You're having trouble following it.  
> You could just let them keep talking, but they might keep spiralling out of control if you let them do that. Perhaps reminding them that you're still in the room will stop them from getting too wild.  
   
Light Yagami  
"What exactly is my character in this scenario?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You're a single man in possession of a good fortune."  
   
Light Yagami  
"......"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Am I?"  
   
Yosuke  
" _No._ "  
   
Chie  
"That's from _Pride and Prejudice,_ right? Were there pirates in that book...?"  
   
Yukiko  
"I don't think so."  
   
Yosuke  
"No, there's no pirates in _Pride and Prejudice!!_ "  
   
Kanji  
"English literature... Senpai, you're so classy."  
   
> Narukami looks pleased with himself.  
> Yosuke kicks Kanji's leg.  
   
Yosuke  
"Don't encourage him!"  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"What are any of you talking about?"  
   
Yukiko  
"It's a group date."  
   
Uncomfortable Boy  
"This really isn't how group dates are supposed to work."  
   
> They ignore their classmate and carry on with their complicated scenario.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Kanji-kun... if I can't have him, then no one can. I'm gonna burn your house down."  
   
Kanji  
"Whoa!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Ooh! I'll use my underground criminal connections to help you get the floor plans!"  
   
Chie  
"Yukiko! How did you get underground criminal connections??"  
   
Yukiko  
"All kinds of people come to the Amagi Inn these days. It's a tough world. A gal's gotta be able to protect herself."  
   
Chie  
"Well-- but-- but I'm a police officer!!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Torn between your job and the love of your life! Where do your true loyalties lie, Chie??"  
   
Chie  
"Geez..."  
   
Nanako  
"Who am I, who am I?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Hopefully a firefighter or something, since your cousin is apparently going to burn my house down."  
   
Yosuke  
"Maybe we should just ask another question, y'know?"  
   
Chie  
"What, and just let Kanji-kun and Yagami-san's house burn down?! They could seriously _die,_ Yosuke!"  
   
Yosuke  
"No, they couldn't!"  
   
Nanako  
"Oh! Oh! I put out the fire with a magic spell! Now everybody's okay!"  
   
Kanji  
"Whoa!!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Curses!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Nanako-chan is a witch!!"  
   
Chie  
"She's a detective witch! Special consultant with the regional police!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"The police doesn't employ witches."  
   
Chie  
"That's discrimination!!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"I... what?"  
   
> You can't think of any kind of response to that. This is too much.  
   
Chie  
"Even if the snooty higher-ups won't approve it, Nanako-chan is on the case with me. We're taking your whole operation down, Yukiko!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"This is stupid!"  
   
> Yosuke is starting to look genuinely upset. His cheeks are slightly red. His arms are crossed over his chest. He's starting to fold in on himself, and he's bad at hiding it.  
> Teenagers are very dramatic.  
   
Chie  
"Aw, Yosuke. Do you wanna be a police officer, too?"  
   
> Yosuke angrily wipes at his eyes-- is he starting to cry?-- and shakes his head.  
> Yu leans forward.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Do you want to help me murder Yagami-san?"  
   
> ...  
> Why did he say that so gently...?  
   
Yosuke  
"Y-yeah."  
   
> Kanji puts his arm on your shoulder.  
   
Kanji  
"Don't worry, Yagami-san. I'll protect you."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Great."  
   
Nanako  
"Me too!"  
   
> Nanako is getting really into this. You don't want to ruin her fun. You can't.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"...Thanks."  
   
> You settle back in your chair and let Narukami and his friends chatter on, spinning their elaborate soap opera.  
> Plotting your murder seems to cheer Yosuke up.  
> ...People really are all the same, deep down.  
   
> You end up staying there for hours...  
> Narukami's uncomfortable classmate is the one who finally gets fed up and makes everyone stop goofing around.  
> Everyone stands up, still talking and laughing. They let Nanako be a part of their little circle, which is sweet.  
> Yu nudges you.  
> You try not to look like your arm hurts.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I can take Nanako from here. I'm gonna walk around for a bit before I go home."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Have fun."  
   
> You look at each other for a moment.  
> ...  
> He's not leaving...  
   
Yu Narukami  
"There's a fortune-telling booth."  
   
> ...  
> Does he want to get your fortunes told together...?  
> You just stand there smiling blandly at him, not responding.  
> Yu starts fidgeting.  
> The door to the classroom slams open.  
   
Risette  
"Seeeeenpaaaaaaaaai!!"  
   
> Rise skips into the room, then sees you and claps her hands together.  
   
Risette  
"Oh my gosh, Light! You're here, too!?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Just leaving, actually."  
   
Rise  
"Aw, boooo. Are you coming tomorrow?"  
   
> The room goes very quiet all of a sudden.  
> Everyone but Nanako and Rise looks alarmed.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm bringing Nanako-chan tomorrow as well, yes."  
   
> Rise pumps both fists in the air.  
> Yosuke looks like he wants to die.  
   
Rise  
"Woo-hoo!!"  
   
Rise  
"You can see everybody in the pageants!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Don't--"  
   
Rise  
"Yukiko-senpai, Chie-senpai, Naoto-kun, and me are all in the Miss Yasogami High pageant! And the boys are--"  
   
Yosuke  
" _Please_ \--"  
   
Rise  
"--all gonna be in the cross-dressing pageant! Fun!"  
   
> You glance over at the others.  
> What kind of high school has a cross-dressing pageant?  
> Openly encouraging that kind of behavior in teenagers seems irresponsible at best.  
> Kanji looks embarrassed. Yu and Yosuke look distraught.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I can explain."  
   
> This should be good.  
> You raise your eyebrows at Yu and he recoils ever so slightly, reddening.  
> He's frozen for a moment while he decides what to say.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...Yosuke started it."  
   
> Yosuke scowls.  
   
Yosuke  
"You're seriously starting to piss me off, dude."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...?"  
   
Rise  
"I mean, he's not _lying,_ you _did_ kinda start it..."  
   
Kanji  
"I-it's all a joke!! It's not like any of us _want_ to wear dresses and look pretty!!"  
   
Kanji  
"S-screw lookin' pretty! That shit's for-- for people who ain't me!"  
   
Rise  
"Kanji-kun, I thought you were over that stuff already... you seemed kind of excited the other day."  
   
Yukiko  
"It's okay to be excited, Kanji-kun."  
   
> Kanji looks torn.  
> How are they all so convinced that they're good at hiding their feelings...? They're the most transparent people you've ever met.  
> Before any of them can ask you what your thoughts are on cross-dressing, they're headed off by another question.  
   
Nanako  
"Umm... what's cross-dressing?"  
   
> You decided to leave during the ensuing awkward pause.  
 

 **> October 30 th...**  
   
> Nanako is just as excited today as she was yesterday.  
> You, on the other hand, feel annoyed and slightly sick.  
> On your way to the school, the two of you pass Mello. He's lounging on his motorcycle on the floodplain, today. He is eating chocolate and staring at you.  
> Mello leers at you when you come into view, showing a few too many teeth.  
   
Nanako  
"..."  
   
> Nanako presses close to your side as you walk.  
   
Nanako  
"He's scary..."  
   
> You place a reassuring hand on top of her head.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I'll keep you safe."  
   
Nanako  
"...Mm."  
   
> You can feel Mello's eyes burning at the back of your neck as you walk away.  
> You have to kill him before he does anything to hurt Nanako.  
 

 **> Yasogami High School...**  
   
> You stand near the back of the assembled students. There's more people here than you would have expected.  
> There are basically no other adults here. You feel very conspicuous.  
   
Creepy Woman  
"Hmhmhm... well, _hello_."  
   
> An inappropriately-dressed middle-aged woman sidles up to you.  
> You wrinkle your nose and step away. She smells strongly of cheap perfume...  
> Nanako covers her nose and mouth with her hand.  
> She is wearing a lacy pushup bra that is clearly heavily padded, and she has her blouse unbuttoned about halfway down her torso. She's wearing a lot of makeup, too.  
> If she were an escort, her perfume wouldn't be so cheap and she wouldn't be wearing a pencil skirt. Nobody's mother would come to something like this... probably.  
> She must be a teacher... though you find it difficult to believe a high school would allow a teacher to dress like that.  
   
Light Yagami, A Businesslike Police Officer  
"Can I help you, ma'am?"  
   
> She sidles into your personal space again.  
> You take another step away from her.  
   
Creepy Woman  
"You're the new police detective... I heard you were handsome, but I must say I wasn't expecting you to be quite so _ravishing._ "  
   
> You keep your face completely blank.  
   
Light Yagami, A Businesslike Police Officer  
"You're very kind, ma'am."  
   
Creepy Woman  
"Say... is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"It's a gun, ma'am."  
   
> She isn't deterred... you'll have to be a little more forceful.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm going to have to ask you to take a few steps away, ma'am. This young lady with me, Nanako Dojima, is allergic to cheaply manufactured perfumes. You standing so close to us puts her at risk of going into anaphylactic shock."  
   
> She looks offended and guilty at the same time.  
   
Creepy Woman  
"Well, I--"  
   
Light Yagami  
"You're a teacher here, correct? If your basic training for this position failed to inform you of basic allergen awareness and safety, that's very concerning to me as an officer of the law. Perhaps I should request a comprehensive review of the Yasogami High faculty's qualifications and training to ensure that everything is up to legal standards."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Unless, of course, your lack of understanding of basic health and safety guidelines is an individual failing rather than an institutional one, in which case I must ask for your name and your supervisor's contact information."  
   
> She very quickly takes several steps back.  
> Before she can say anything else, the student MC onstage starts talking.  
   
MC  
"Ladies and gentlemen! We now begin the second day of the Culture Festival with the ever-popular "Miss" Yasogami Pageant!"  
   
> The awful woman scurries away.  
> When she's gone, Nanako tugs on your arm.  
   
Nanako  
"Was she a bad person?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"...?"  
   
Nanako  
"You said it's only okay to lie to bad people, right?"  
   
> You did say that, didn't you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Yes, she was a bad person."  
   
Nanako  
"How do you know?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"When you're a detective, you just know these things. It's like a superpower."  
   
Nanako  
"Oh... I see."  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"Can you see the stage okay, or do you want a boost?"  
   
Nanako  
"I can see!"  
   
MC  
"Let's get right down to it and introduce our first contestant!"  
   
MC  
"She's a runaway express train who's Inaba born and bred, and can kill with both her fists and her looks! Presenting... Kanji-chan of the first-year class three!"  
   
Nanako  
"Oh, boy!!"  
   
> Kanji walks out onto the stage dressed, bafflingly, as the American movie star Marilyn Monroe.  
> Predictably, the assembled students burst into loud mean-spirited laughter.  
   
Nanako  
"Huh...? What's so funny?"  
   
> Nanako looks around, wide-eyed and confused, as the students around you start talking.  
   
Girl's voice  
"Eugghhhh! Ewww! That's so creepy!"  
   
Nanako  
"Wh... what...?"  
   
Male's voice  
"This is wrong on every level..."  
   
Nanako  
"!!"  
   
> Nanako looks up at you, disbelieving and outraged and more than a little teary-eyed.  
   
Nanako  
"They're being _mean!_ "  
   
> Shit.  
> It hadn't occurred to you that this might be a problem. You didn't think they would be quite this mean, and you didn't think Nanako would be quite this upset.  
> What are you supposed to say to her? They _are_ being mean, but it's not like they're wrong.  
> On the one hand, you don't want to condone this whole cross-dressing business. On the other hand, you can't exactly take the side of the bullies. Especially not with Nanako.  
> You try to take a somewhat neutral stance.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Well, he does look a bit silly."  
   
> Nanako looks indignant.  
   
Nanako  
"No! Kanji-chan is really pretty!!"  
   
> .......  
> You have absolutely no idea how to handle this situation. You are woefully unequipped to deal with this.  
   
Nanako  
"My teacher says you shouldn't make fun of people's clothes or what they look like! Not ever!"  
   
> What are you going to do if she makes a scene?  
> Nanako looks like she might cry.  
> You really don't want her to cry.  
> Onstage, the pageant continues...  
   
MC  
"...An eloquent heiress of the noble Junes, she's pure disappointment from the moment she opens her mouth! Presenting Yosuke-chan of the second-year class two!"  
   
> Yosuke, looking less outrageous than Kanji but still quite bad, shuffles onstage. He's wearing a school uniform with a large bow, and part of his hair is pulled up in a little ponytail.  
> He looks deeply uncomfortable.  
> The assembled crowd starts laughing and jeering again.  
   
Girl's voice  
"Holy crap! And here I thought Yosuke-senpai would be able to pull it off!"  
   
> Nanako screws up her face and clenches her hands into fists.  
> Yosuke looks absolutely miserable. You can tell he's bright red even from here.  
> One of the students standing near you elbows his friend.  
   
Loud Male Student  
"Dude, it's terrifying... I can just imagine someone like him sitting across from me on a train!"  
   
> Nanako rolls up her sleeves and glares at him as fiercely as a tiny round-faced seven-year-old girl can manage.  
> You put your hand on her head before she can march over to him. You can't have her getting into a fight with someone twice her size. She could get hurt-- physically or emotionally. Dojima will never let you babysit ever again.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Nanako-chan, don't get into a fight."  
   
Nanako  
"But he's being a bully!!"  
   
> ......  
> You can't tell her it's wrong to fight bullies. But still... she's too small.  
> You'll have to fight them on her behalf.  
> ...Are you really going to get into a fight in defense of cross-dressing, in public, with a high schooler? That seems just as bad as Nanako getting into a fight. You're an adult, for one thing. For another thing, you don't want to take a definitively pro-cross-dressing stance.  
> Perhaps you can talk her down instead...?  
   
Light Yagami  
"How about we take a deep breath."  
   
> You inhale deeply.  
> Nanako keeps scowling and takes a deep breath as loudly as possible.  
> You exhale and smile in a calming sort of way; she huffs out her breath just as loudly as she inhaled it.  
   
Light Yagami  
"How does Dojima-san tell you to deal with bullies?"  
   
Nanako  
"Dad says to give 'em what for!!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"......"  
   
> That's really not what you were hoping for.  
> Dojima-san... what kind of a parent tells a little girl to get into fights? She's far too delicate for that sort of thing. You thought he had Nanako's best interests in mind. It seems that Dojima doesn't care as much about Nanako's safety as he ought to.  
   
Light Yagami  
"How about using your words, instead? If you use your words, maybe you can change his mind. That way, nobody needs to get hurt."  
   
Ryuzaki  
"You're such a hypocrite."  
   
> The last thing you need right now is Ryuzaki breathing down the back of your neck.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shut up."  
   
Nanako  
"...?"  
   
> Without thinking, you snapped at thin air...  
> L is dead. He's not here. You have to get yourself under control.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Sorry, Nanako-chan. What I mean to say is, sometimes if you just tell somebody that what they said is hurtful then you don't need to... give 'em what for."  
   
> Nanako looks mutinous. You're not sure you're being very convincing.  
   
MC  
"...and she's made more girls cry than there are stars in the sky! Presenting our transfer student who's been breaking hearts in the second-year class two, Yu-chan!"  
   
> Yu Narukami marches onstage, looking far less uncomfortable than the other two.  
> He's dressed like a gangster girl, with a long skirt and a wooden kendo practice sword, and has a long braided wig that's exactly the color of his natural hair.  
> ...  
> Relatively speaking, he looks good.  
> ...You know exactly how L would react if he were here.  
   
Ryuzaki  
"Ah. You're gross."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shut _up_."  
   
> You hiss at him quietly enough that Nanako doesn't hear you this time.  
> Why does he have to antagonize you even though he's dead?  
   
Ryuzaki  
"Well, either ghosts are real or I'm a manifestation of your repressed guilt."  
   
> Ghosts aren't real.  
> But he is certainly not a manifestation of repressed guilt. You would have to be repressing guilt for that to be the case, and you're not.  
> You're just...  
> ...  
> Tired.  
> Anyway, Yu is getting the biggest reaction yet.  
   
Distraught Female Student  
"Senpai?! Why are you doing this?!"  
   
> Yu keeps up his usual bizarre stony-faced confidence...  
> Until he sees you and Nanako. Then you can see him faltering a bit; a shift in the set of his shoulders, a flicker of uncertainty in his face.  
> The loud student near you shakes his head.  
   
Loud Male Student  
"Whoa... I thought he was cooler than that..."  
   
> This seems to be the last straw for Nanako.  
> Before you can stop her, Nanako draws herself up to her full height and marches over to him.  
   
Nanako  
"Hey!!"  
   
> The student looks down at her.  
   
Loud Male Student  
"Huh? What's a little girl doing here? This show isn't kid-friendly at all."  
   
Nanako  
"That's my big bro and he _is_ cool!"  
   
Loud Male Student  
"Uhh... what?"  
   
Nanako  
"And I think you're being very rude!"  
   
Nanako  
"If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all!"  
   
> Nanako is fiercely defending her cousin from bullies.  
> Even though she's naturally quite shy, her bond with Yu is strong enough to give her the confidence to stand up for what's right. It seems that he's helping her develop a strong sense of **Justice.**  
> Up on the stage, Yu jumps as though startled by something.  
> !?  
> For just a moment, Nanako seems to sort of... sparkle?  
   
Loud Male Student  
"Hahah... chill out, kid, we're just joking around."  
   
Nanako  
"Bullying is unacceptable, even if it's just jokes!!"  
   
> Then she turns to the stage, cups her hands over her mouth, and yells.  
   
Nanako  
"Big bro, you all look really good!!"  
   
> Yu seems to have recovered from his moment of hesitation. He shoulders his sword and gives her a thumbs up.  
> Kanji looks like he cheers up a little bit.  
> Yosuke continues to look absolutely miserable.  
   
MC  
"Calling herself 'King of the TV World,' she's a cute, sexy little number! Give a warm welcome to Teddie-chan!"  
   
> Yu's strange foreign friend skips onstage dressed like... maybe Alice from _Alice in Wonderland?_ It's difficult to say. His dress is frilly and blue. He seems delighted to be here.  
> You really hope that this show will be over soon.  
> Everyone seems to think Teddie looks good and nobody shouts anything mean, so Nanako settles down.  
> ...  
> They hand out ballots for voting.  
> You hold yours between your thumb and forefinger and examine it with distaste.  
   
Nanako  
"They all looked so cute... it's hard to choose... who're you gonna vote for?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"......"  
   
> You can't get away with not voting, because Nanako is right here...  
> There's no way they won't ask you about it.  
> You could throw Yosuke a pity vote. He would think you were antagonizing him, though; he would get more flustered and upset, and his friends would try to calm him down and just make him more upset. That seems like a bad idea.  
> If you vote for anyone else who isn't Yu, it will hurt his feelings.  
> That might be funny. He would pretend his feelings weren't hurt, or try to anyway. He'd struggle to keep his face neutral-- clenched jaw, nervous swallowing, eyes flicking around the room.  
> On the other hand, you have to consider the long-term effects more than what would be funny.  
> Also...  
> You want Nanako to like you.  
   
Light Yagami, The Older Brother Type  
"I'll vote for whoever you vote for, Nanako-chan."  
   
> Nanako looks delighted.  
   
Nanako  
"Then let's both vote for big bro!"  
   
> You both vote for Yu.  
> ...Teddie wins anyway.  
> As a prize, he gets to be an honorary judge in the regular pageant. He seems very excited about this.  
   
Teddie  
"I decree that one of the judging criteria later this afternoon will be..."  
   
> Teddie spins around.  
   
Teddie  
"Tadaaaaa! A swimsuit competition!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Eurgh."  
   
> You hear shouts of dismay from the front of the room. Chie, Yukiko, Naoto, and Rise are apparently not pleased.  
> You are not at all comfortable with the idea of having to look at a bunch of teenaged girls in swimsuits competing for votes. That sounds absolutely awful. You wouldn't have wanted to do something like this even when you were in high school.  
   
Nanako  
"What's a swimsuit competition?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Girls put on swimsuits and then people vote on who looks best. It's demeaning."  
   
Nanako  
"Oh..."  
   
> The first pageant is over...  
> You meet Yu, Yosuke, Kanji, and Teddie in the hall outside.  
> Yosuke is trembling, pulling his hair out of the little ponytail it was in.  
   
Kanji  
"Come on, senpai, it wasn't that bad."  
   
> Kanji tries to put his hand on Yosuke's shoulder. Yosuke smacks his hand away and glares at him.  
   
Yosuke  
"Don't fucking touch me."  
   
> Yu is about to say something, and then he sees you and Nanako.  
> He takes a step towards you, smiling.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san!"  
   
> Teddie barrels past him, arms up in the air.  
   
Teddie  
"Nanako-chaaaaan!! Did you see how cute I was?!"  
   
Nanako  
"Yeah! You were really cute!"  
   
> Kanji looks unsure of what to do with his hands. He gives you a feeble half-smile.  
   
Kanji  
"H-hey... Yagami-san... Nanako-chan."  
   
Yosuke  
"Great. Cool. If you'll excuse me, I need to go throw myself in front of a train."  
   
> Yosuke tries to leave; Yu catches his arm.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke..."  
   
Yosuke  
"I gotta get out of this stupid outfit, I look like an idiot."  
   
> Yu tugs him closer, smiling softly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I think you look cute."  
   
> Yosuke flushes a little bit and twitches, but with that twitch some of his bad mood seems to break.  
> Masterfully done. It almost works.  
> Then Yosuke's eyes flick over to you and his expression sours again.  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah, whatever."  
   
> Yosuke storms off.  
   
Kanji  
"Hey! Senpai, should I--?"  
   
> Yu looks after Yosuke, looking kind of helpless and sad. He shrugs.  
> Kanji runs after Yosuke.  
   
Teddie  
"Oh, are we racing?? Nanako-chan, come on, let's run, too!!"  
   
> Teddie grabs Nanako's hand and then grins at you.  
   
Teddie  
"Light, are you gonna race, too?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Not this time."  
   
> Teddie runs off with Nanako laughing and stumbling along behind him.  
> You're alone with Yu.  
> For a long moment he stares down the hallway.  
> Yu sighs softly and rubs his face, then turns to you and smiles.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Thanks for coming."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Nanako-chan is having a really good time."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Are you having a good time?"  
   
> You laugh and shrug, rubbing the back of your neck.  
> Adachi does this a lot; it's one of his fake nervous tics. You can see Yu's breath catch in his throat.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"It's not exactly my scene."  
   
> Yu grins and looks away sheepishly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Right."  
   
> Absentmindedly, he twirls the end of one of his braids around his fingers.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"I'm impressed you didn't seem nervous at all."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"There's no way I would've been brave enough to do something like this in high school."  
   
> His smile widens. He's pleased.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It was actually fun."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Hanamura-san didn't seem to have much fun."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He's just embarrassed."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"It's a shame. He almost could've pulled it off if he wasn't so uncomfortable, don't you think?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"For sure."  
   
> Yu stares at you for a moment.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Who did you vote for?"  
   
> You tuck your hands in your pockets and smile at him, lowering your eyelashes a little bit.  
> This is your intentionally charming smile, the one you use when you're flirting in a slightly aggressive way. It makes you look a little bit like the bad boy type. It's not Kiyomi's taste at all-- she prefers the soulful sensitive type-- but Misa liked it.  
   
Light Yagami, The Boy Everyone Wants To Date  
"Who d'you think?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"!!"  
   
> Yu is actually flustered. He reddens and his hands flutter to his face.  
> The wig and the skirt actually suit him... he's just like a girl.  
> ...  
> He makes you sick.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I should probably go make sure Yosuke is okay."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Of course. He seemed pretty upset."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Are you staying for the other pageant? With the girls?"  
   
> If you have to stay here any longer, your façade of friendliness is going to start slipping. You're in a terrible mood and you hate everything about this.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I think I'll pass."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Oh, alright."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Tell Nanako-chan I said goodbye, would you?"

Yu Narukami  
"Mm."

   
> You decided to skip the rest of the culture festival and just go home.


	13. i am become vile

**> November 1 st...**  
   
> Time marches onward... October ends. November begins.  
> Your investigation is proceeding at a glacial pace.  
> There is still too much you don't know... about the other world, about Izanami, about Adachi's accomplice.  
> Your ratio of incidents of personal injury to breakthroughs in the case is less than ideal.  
   
> After work, you call Narukami.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san!!"  
   
> Narukami is breathless and overeager, as usual.  
> Once again, you are struck by what an easy mark he is.  
> You wonder what his parents must be like; they clearly never told him not to talk to strangers.  
   
Light Yagami, Who You Want To Impress  
"Narukami. Let's go into the TV world today."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Is that a good idea?"  
   
> He sounds uncharacteristically serious.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Even if your Persona has the ability to bring you back to life... if you go in tired again, you'll run out of energy fast."  
   
> Your arm still hurts quite a bit, and you're very annoyed.  
> You're not any more tired than usual.  
   
**HP: 195** /300  
**SP: 300** /300  
   
> You don't have enough experience with the other world to know for sure if you're up for it... but you're sick of waiting around. You want to make some progress.  
> Someone can fix your arm in the other world, and then that won't be a problem any more.  
   
Light Yagami, Who You Want To Impress  
"I'm fine."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That's what you said last time. Have you eaten today?"  
   
> You can't remember if you've eaten today.  
> Probably not.  
> You have more important things to think about.  
> You don't want this to get derailed into another nauseating concern-fest wherein Narukami fusses over you like you're a helpless starving creature and not an adult man. The "I'm helpless and vulnerable" angle is not one you enjoy playing, and you'd like to avoid its use as much as possible.  
  
Light Yagami, Who You Want To Impress  
"Yes."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Hmmm."  
   
> He doesn't believe you. It seems that it won't be so easy to shake off his image of you as someone who needs his help...  
> You'll have to operate within that framework, then.  
   
Light Yagami, Who You Want To Impress  
"Tell you what: I'll get something to eat at Junes and you can watch me eat it, if that will give you some peace of mind."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"!!!"  
   
> Not only does this give him a chance to feel like he is helping you in some way, this is the sort of thing he can imagine might be a date. He knows it isn't, but he'll think of it as similar to one, and thus he won't refuse.  
> You'll have a chance to talk to him alone. Since he'll be thinking about it as "rare valuable alone time with Yagami-san," he won't tell his friends because he won't want them to interrupt.  
> This will be useful. There's still some information you want to get out of him, and it's easier to do that without having to worry about putting up an act that's appealing to eight different people.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That sounds good."  
   
> You arranged to meet with Yu Narukami.  
 

 **> Junes Food Court...**  
   
> You'd forgotten how much you hate eating. Particularly around other people. Particularly when the other person is staring intently at you like he's expecting something.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"So... how much have you explored the TV world?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Explored?"  
   
> You stare expectantly at him.  
> Narukami seems confused.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We don't really explore the TV world itself. Rise finds the worlds that victims create, and then we go straight there to rescue them."  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
> Seriously...?  
> Sometimes you forget how truly astonishingly stupid most people are. It must be exhausting, being this much of an idiot. You're exhausted on his behalf.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I think we ought to."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Operating under the assumption that everyone who enters the TV world is forced to confront their Shadow, and that if they enter alone they find themselves in worlds that have been created from their subconscious..."  
   
> You speak slowly, so that he can follow you, and you keep your hand on your chopsticks still so he won't get distracted by your hands.  
> You can see his eyes flicking to your hands anyway, but they don't fixate the way they might if you moved them at all.  
> Small victories.  
   
Light Yagami  
"...It stands to reason that somewhere in the TV is the killer's world."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Teddie said he'd never felt anyone in the other world before, though. Just the victims. The killer has never gone in himself."  
   
> Is that so?  
> You'll have to assume for now that this information is accurate.  
> Adachi hasn't ever gone inside of the TV himself...?  
> But he's thrown people in, and he's watched you in it.  
> Also, you don't know for sure that these worlds don't already exist when people enter the TV world. It could be that everyone has one, waiting to be discovered.  
> In fact, wouldn't that make more sense? If the TV world is the collective unconscious, why wouldn't these worlds already exist?  
   
Light Yagami  
"Regardless, I think it's worth investigating. We don't really understand how these worlds are created: for example, we don't know if there exists a world in the TV for everyone, waiting for their arrival, or if their arrival creates the world."  
   
Light Yagami  
"If it is the former, then the killer's world is out there. If we were to find it, we would without a doubt find the killer. If it is the latter, it's still possible that the killer's extensive interaction with the TV world could have been enough to create a world anyway."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"...That's just my thoughts, though. You're the leader. I don't want to step on your toes."  
   
> You smile at him. A bit of fake humility so you don't look arrogant; it's not very careful, but it'll work on him because he thinks the world of you.  
> This way, it'll be his decision entirely, and the others will naturally go along with it because even if they don't trust you (as in the case of Yosuke) they trust him absolutely.  
> Engendering that kind of loyalty is a tremendous skill. It'll be very valuable to you.  
> Narukami nods, looking eager and impressed.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Not at all. You're a trained investigator, and you've worked on cases like this before. Your thoughts are valuable."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I think that... whatever you think will help us catch the killer, we should do it."  
   
> You blink, like you're surprised, and then you look flattered.  
> Narukami, you idiot.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Really...?"  
   
> He nods.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Do you have any other thoughts on the case? To tell you the truth, we all thought that it was solved, with Mitsuo Kubo, so we're... sort of at a loss."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Why?"  
   
> His strange dull eyes widen.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Oh! We forgot to tell you... we got so caught up in the rest of it."  
   
> Narukami explains the Kubo situation to you.  
> ...He's not very good at explaining things, but you manage to piece the gist of it together.  
> Mitsuo Kubo had a world inside the TV, like the other victims. He confessed to the murders, rather insistently, but didn't mention anyone else's involvement.  
> Once again, you wish Mikami hadn't killed him, or had at least waited until you'd had a chance to speak to him. You could have had Mikami force Kubo to tell you the truth about the murders, and then you would have had witness testimony.  
> ...Assuming he knew anything about Adachi. None of the other victims remember a thing about their kidnapper; what if Kubo was the same...?  
> Well, no use fretting about it now. He's dead.  
> Narukami and his friends couldn't-- can't-- understand why he would take credit for murders he didn't commit. Apparently they have very little understanding of the psyche of criminals.  
> But since Adachi pushed you in, they've been forced to conclude that they got it wrong, and the real culprit was not Mitsuo Kubo.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Do you have any other suspects in mind?"  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Other suspects, hmm?"  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Well, it would have to be someone who was able to be alone with both Yamano and Konishi without attracting suspicion."  
   
> Narukami nods, eyes bright and fixed on you.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"A man they trusted."  
   
> You can't nudge his thinking too far towards Adachi; that will ruin the entire house of cards you're building. If Yu begins to actively suspect Adachi, he'll confront him, and then that will throw a wrench into the middle of everything.  
> You tap your chin thoughtfully and lean back in your chair.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Hmm. Perhaps I could re-examine the crime scenes... the real crime scenes. Yamano and Konishi both had worlds like the rest of you, didn't they?"  
   
> Narukami nods.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We didn't investigate them very thoroughly. There could have been something we missed there."  
   
> He looks away. He looks uncharacteristically uncomfortable; not flustered, but unsettled.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We... didn't want to spend much time in those places. They were too..."  
   
> Narukami gestures helplessly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Creepy... I guess?"  
   
> You attempt to look understanding.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"That's a perfectly natural reaction."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"But-- but I can handle it! It'll be alright if it's with you, Yagami-san, I'm sure."  
   
> Narukami wants very badly to please you. He wants you to think he's brave and impressive. You can see in the way he looks at you, the tense expectation in his shoulders...  
> He's like a dog who's just done a trick, wagging his tail, waiting for treats.  
> You hate dogs.  
> You swallow the urge to withdraw for the sake of withdrawing, just to watch him wilt, and maintain your smile.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"I'm sure you can."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Oh... one more thing."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yes?"  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"If we're going to be exploring, I think it would be more efficient to split the group into two parties of four."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Well... one of five and one of four, I suppose. We'll cover more ground that way."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Split up? But..."  
   
> Narukami trails off, actually thinking about it. His face wrinkles into a frown.  
> Of course he doesn't want to split up his friends, but he can't deny that you're right.  
> Splitting them up services multiple purposes for you. The group will be more useful, since they'll be covering more ground. That will get this whole thing over with quicker.  
> And it will give you more opportunity to get Yu on your side. You can pull him away from Adachi, and pull him towards Kira.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Actually... I suppose if we have Rise with one group and Teddie with another, then... it should be okay."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That's a really good idea, Yagami-san."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...You should finish your food."  
   
> Reluctantly, you finish eating the food you ordered.  
> ...It's gross.  
> Narukami props his chin up on his hand and smiles at you while you eat.  
   
> After a little while... Kanji, Naoto, Rise, Teddie, Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, and Yosuke show up. The fox from the shrine is with them.  
> Teddie is wearing normal clothes, not the bear outfit, this time.  
> They greet you enthusiastically, chattering loudly...  
> Except Yosuke, who gives you a dirty look and sticks to Yu's side. You smile at him anyway, bland and inoffensively friendly.  
> The fox bares its teeth at you and curls its tail around Narukami's leg as you all make your way to the electronics department.  
   
Yosuke  
"So... you two got here early, huh."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I wanted to make sure Yagami-san was well enough to join us this time."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...Are you upset?"  
   
Yosuke  
"No."  
   
> Yosuke looks upset.  
> Rise grabs your arm. It hurts.  
   
Rise  
"Light! I'm so hurt you didn't stay to see me in the pageant!! You were gonna vote for me, weren't you? Weren't you?"  
   
> Teddie grabs your other arm.  
> Your skin is crawling...  
> God, you hate it when people touch you.  
   
Teddie  
"More importantly!! You voted for me in my pageant, didn't you? I was _paw_ sitively adorable, after all!"  
   
Rise  
"Ooh, who _did_ you vote for?"  
   
> Narukami didn't brag to his friends. That's interesting.  
> He hardly ever talks about himself when he's with you, but... could it be that he's like that with everyone?  
> You glance over at Narukami...  
> Your eyes meet. He starts, and flushes a little bit, and looks quickly back at Yosuke.  
> It seems that Narukami, despite being easy to read, very vulnerable, and overly friendly, is a somewhat private person, and won't tell his friends the details of his relationship with you even if he's excited about it.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Sorry, Teddie-san. Nanako-chan insisted I vote for her cousin."  
   
> Teddie gasps loudly.  
   
Teddie  
"Nana-chan!! Treachery!"  
 

 **> TV World Entrance...**  
   
> This place is as strange as ever.  
> Everyone retrieves their "weapons," and then Narukami claps his hands together to get everyone's attention.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Everyone, I have a few announcements!"  
   
> Everyone gathers around, looking attentive.  
   
Chie  
"Announcements?"  
   
Naoto  
"Yes, senpai?"  
   
Teddie  
"Woo-hoo!! Announcements!!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yes. First off..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke got us Halloween costumes from Junes."  
   
> This announcement is met with enthusiasm.  
   
Rise  
"New costumes!"  
   
Kanji  
" _Hell_ yeah."  
   
Yosuke  
"They're pretty lame, but... at least they were free."  
   
Yukiko  
"Ooh, I want to be a ghost!"  
   
> They chatter for a while, and then Narukami clears his throat and they all quiet down.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"More seriously... we have to move forward with our investigation into the murders. The killer is still out there, and it's our responsibility to make sure no one else gets hurt. We have to stop him, no matter what."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We were wrong about Mitsuo Kubo... but we can't get discouraged."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Naoto-kun and Yagami-san are both trained investigators. With both of them on the case, we'll solve this for sure."  
   
> Naoto looks embarrassed; she adjusts her hat and ducks her head.  
> You just smile.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"At Yagami-san's suggestion... we're going to start investigating this world more thoroughly. It's possible that if we look around outside of the dungeons we've already found, we'll find something that will point us to the killer."  
   
Chie  
"O-outside of the dungeons... you mean out in the fog!? Isn't that dangerous??"  
   
Teddie  
"Hrmm... I think it's just as dangerous as being inside the places you guys made."  
   
Teddie  
"...Probably."  
   
Chie  
"That's not reassuring at all!"  
   
Naoto  
"Yagami-san and Narukami-senpai have the right idea. We don't know enough about this world to know if we'll find evidence that leads us to a culprit... and that's why we must investigate. It may very well be dangerous... but to stop the killer, I'm willing to risk my life."  
   
Rise  
"Wow, Naoto-kun, that's kind of cool!"  
   
Kanji  
"To hell with bein' scared... I'll run headfirst into danger! Tackle it head-on!!"  
   
Naoto  
"You... shouldn't do that."  
   
> Everyone agrees to explore the fog more thoroughly. Even Yosuke.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"The other thing is... in order to cover more ground, I think we should start splitting up."  
   
Everyone  
"!!!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Split up...?"  
   
> Narukami nods, and glances at you. You give him an encouraging smile, and he squares his shoulders.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yes. There's nine of us, so... that's enough for two exploration parties. Teddie could go with one, and Rise with the other."  
   
Rise  
"Ooh... that way, both groups have a scanner! That's good thinking, senpai!"  
   
Naoto  
"So, Kujikawa will be with the group of five, and Teddie will be fighting alongside his group... Teddie, can you handle multitasking like that?"  
   
Teddie  
"Of course!! It'll be tough, but I can _bear_ it!!"  
   
> Teddie winks and poses, giving her two thumbs up in the most exaggerated way possible.  
   
Chie  
"Booooo."  
   
Yosuke  
"Have you decided on a lineup for the two groups?"  
   
Teddie  
"I want Yuki-chan, Chie-chan, and Nao-chan in my group!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'll be with Rise."  
   
Rise  
"Ooh!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...And I think Yagami-san should stick with the two of us, at least while he's still adjusting to being in the TV world."  
   
> Rise looks absolutely delighted.  
   
Rise  
"Woo-hoo!!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Apart from that, though... we can try different combinations and see what works best, I suppose."  
   
Yosuke  
"I don't know about this, Partner..."  
   
Yosuke  
"What if something goes wrong? We won't be able to switch anyone out if we get tired, and Teddie's group won't have a leader, and-- and--"  
   
> Yosuke looks at you, then looks away again quickly.  
   
Yosuke  
"There's just-- a lot could go wrong. I don't like it."  
   
Chie  
"Yosuke, calm down."  
   
Chie  
"If it doesn't work, we can go back to doing things the way we did them before, right?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Definitely."  
   
> Despite Yosuke's protests...  
> Everyone agreed to split up the party.  
> Today... you, Narukami, Rise, Chie, and Yukiko will be one group. Teddie, Yosuke, Naoto, and Kanji will be the other. You'll be trying L's tower again; the others will be venturing out into the fog.  
   
> Before the groups split, Narukami approaches Yosuke.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I want you to be the leader."  
   
Yosuke  
"Huh!?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You're the obvious choice."  
   
> Yosuke looks like he might cry.  
 

 **> Swanky Tower Entrance...**  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Wait."  
   
> Narukami pauses in front of the entrance, summons one of his many Personas, and squints at each of you in turn.  
> When he looks at you, his eyes widen slightly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, you're hurt!"  
   
**HP: 195** /300  
**SP: 300** /300  
   
Yu Narukami  
"What happened?"  
   
Light Yagami, Somewhat Hapless  
"Ah, nothing, I just hurt myself while I was cooking."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Cooking?"  
   
Yukiko  
"I'll take care of it. Amaterasu!"  
   
> Yukiko summons her Persona and heals you.  
> Narukami still seems worried.  
   
Chie  
"Geez, Yagami-san. You gotta take better care of yourself."  
   
Light Yagami, Somewhat Hapless  
"Haha... I'll try."  
   
> You proceed into the tower.  
 

 **> Swanky Tower, F12**  
   
> You still hate it in here... but you're getting used to it.  
> Your Persona's power is considerable, although using it wears you out rather quickly. Narukami came prepared for that this time, though, and he casts spells and hands you things to eat that keep your energy up.  
> Most of these things taste bad, and you're left feeling rather queasy.  
> Chie and Yukiko, to your surprise, are able to hold their own well in a fight... although they don't really need to, when you've got the energy to use your Persona, since you consistently kill groups of them with one spell.  
> After a dozen floors, you've figured out everything your Persona can do.  
   
**Messiah, Level 90**  
God's Hand                           Hamaon  
Salvation                               God's Judgment  
Myriad Arrows                       Enduring Soul  
Megidolaon  
   
> For the others, it seems, the cost of their Persona's magic is not nearly as high as yours. It's supposed to grow with them; their Persona never takes more than they can give.  
> This is not the case for you. Your Persona is too powerful for you. Every attack you level at the Shadows either hits you too or it leaves you disproportionately exhausted.  
> In other words, you cannot inflict harm upon others without inflicting harm upon yourself...  
> And yet you cannot die.  
> Despite Narukami's efforts to keep your energy up, he starts running out of things to shove into your hands to eat and you feel absolutely wiped.  
   
**HP: 214/** 300  
**SP: 1/** 300  
   
Rise  
"Hey, senpai, Light's just about out of energy! Be careful with him!!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Ah, you're right... everyone, let's take a break."  
   
> You lean against the wall, breathing hard.  
> The other three look winded, too, but not quite as badly as you.  
   
Chie  
"Man, this is rough... but it's still _so_ much easier with Yagami-san on the team!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Are you alright, Yagami-san? I feel bad... you ended up doing most of the damage, even though you're still new to this..."  
   
Light Yagami, Doing Just Fine Thank You  
"I can handle it. I'm an adult, after all."  
   
> Yukiko's eyes widen slightly.  
   
Yukiko  
"Ah...! That's true!"  
   
> Chie clicks her tongue and puts her hands on her hips.  
   
Chie  
"Yukiko... did you seriously forget?"  
   
> Narukami rummages in his pockets, then in his bag, chewing on his lower lip.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm out of supplies... let's head back down. Rise, how are the others doing?"  
   
Rise  
"Um..."  
   
Rise  
"Teddie says they're finding Shadows, but no new worlds yet."  
   
Rise  
"Um, but he also says, _tell sensei it's because we're lost and all Yosuke's fault!_ So..."  
   
> Narukami exhales a soft laugh.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Tell them to head back, we'll meet them there."  
   
Chie  
"We're going down? Hey, hey, I'll race you all to the bottom!"  
   
> Yukiko looks fired up.  
   
Yukiko  
"Yes! Let's go!"  
  
> Narukami looks at you.  
> You do not want to participate in that kind of foolishness.  
> You've never been any good at running, and it'll be embarrassing if you lose.  
   
Light Yagami, Doing Just Fine  
"No, thank you."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Oh..."  
   
> Chie and Yukiko look expectantly at him.  
> Narukami looks at them, then back at you, apparently torn.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I should stick with Yagami-san."  
   
Chie  
"Boooo."  
   
> Chie tightens her shoelaces before both she and Yukiko dash off down the hallway.  
> You're alone with Yu.  
> As soon as they're out of sight, he starts fidgeting. His eyes flick from you to the floor to the doors nearby.  
> This floor would have been Matsuda's, you think. Not that it's really recognizable as such.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...If you need to take a minute to rest, that's okay."  
   
> Narukami wants to spend time with you.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"Sure. That would be good."  
   
> The two of you duck into a nearby room-- a living room, where there's chairs.  
> There's a small chest in the corner of the room; there have been a few of these, scattered throughout the tower.  
> You open the chest...  
> Inside, there's a slice of pristine strawberry shortcake.  
> You slam the chest shut again.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Food again?"  
   
> Most of the chests have contained sweets. Sugar cubes, petit fours, cream puffs... Ryuzaki's favorites. Otherwise, it's been strange knickknacks and money.  
> Naturally, Narukami has interpreted the persistent presence of food with the information he thinks he already has about you, and he thinks it's part of your "eating disorder."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Strawberry shortcake."  
   
> You stand up and turn; Narukami is staring at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You haven't eaten any of the things we've found here."  
   
> You can't help scowling a bit.  
> Just thinking about eating this garbage makes you sick.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't like sweets."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"There's a lot of them here."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"...Ryuzaki liked sweets. He ate them constantly."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Your friend..."  
   
> You can see Narukami formulating a personal question.  
> You brace yourself accordingly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Did you ever tell him how you felt?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
> Narukami is staring anxiously at you...  
> You feel a twinge of intense discomfort, but you dismiss it. He's addressing the image of "Light Yagami" that he's built up in his head, not _you._  
> The mirror floor under your left heel cracks with a sharp unpleasant noise.  
> You ignore it.  
> Narukami and Yosuke are close. Good friends. They're obviously interested in each other-- but they aren't dating. You can see both of them biting back a desire to say something, do something, every time they look at each other.  
> It seems that Narukami hasn't yet told Yosuke how he feels about him. He's imagining that your situation with Ryuzaki was similar to his with Yosuke.  
> You open your mouth to answer...  
> And the entire tower shudders.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"!!!!!"  
   
Rise  
"Whoa! Senpai, is everyone okay?!"  
   
> Narukami looks at you, eyes wide and concerned.  
> You nod, and he looks a bit relieved.  
> You are fine, but... what was that...?  
> Chie and Yukiko's voices sort of echo in your ears, a little bit staticky, like they have a bad signal.  
   
Chie  
"We're all good down here!"  
   
Yukiko  
"Chie fell on me."  
   
Chie  
"Yukiko!! Don't tell them that!"  
   
> Yu shakes his head and smiles, then glances up at the ceiling and addresses Rise.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Everyone's okay. Do you know what that was?"  
   
Rise  
"Um... I felt something, but just for a second. It's gone now. Sorry..."  
   
> Narukami is still looking at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Maybe we shouldn't talk about him in here."  
   
Light Yagami  
"It's fine."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Is it, though?"  
   
> He's staring at you...  
> That stare is still eerily familiar... it's like he can see right through you.  
> You're put on the spot.  
> If you lie, the tower will probably shake again. Because you can't deny your "true self," or something like that.  
> ...  
> Your "true self," huh...  
> You should be just genuine enough to stay safe.  
> But it's difficult to tell what that means... you didn't even say anything when the first tremor happened. You can't even think about lying?  
> He's still looking at you. You have to be somebody. You have to hurry.  
   
Light Yagami, Most Popular Boy In School  
"It's--"  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"I've never really--"  
   
> Get it together, get it together--  
   
Light Yagami, Your Vulnerable Friend  
"We didn't talk about personal things."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Even though you were friends?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Friend is a strong word."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...What does that mean?"  
   
> You do not want to talk about this.  
   
Light Yagami  
"It was complicated."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"How?"  
   
> This is agony. You dig your fingernails into your palms and try to maintain your persona. Don't scowl.  
   
Light Yagami  
"He knew everything about me, and I didn't even know his name."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
   
> Narukami looks thoughtful. He tucks his hands into his pockets and leans against the wall.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Because he was investigating you?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Yes."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That sounds... strange."  
   
Light Yagami  
"It was."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We can talk about something else."  
   
> Narukami pauses for a while, obviously casting around for something to talk about.  
> This is a good opportunity to redirect the conversation.  
> You have a goal. You want something from him. Refocus on that. Start laying the foundations.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"People in Inaba don't talk about the Kira case much."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Ah... yeah. That must be a nice break for you."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"I don't know about that. It's been such a huge part of my life since I was younger than you... it's difficult to get myself out of that frame of mind."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"I keep having to resist asking everybody I meet what they think about Kira."  
   
> You won't be able to get him to say he definitively agrees with Kira immediately.  
> Especially since he knows you've been working on the case.  
> He might say it if he thinks it's what you want to hear, but that's not as good. You have to make him believe that Kira is right. He has to believe it sincerely.  
> You can't be obvious about it; if he sees what you're doing, he'll naturally recoil.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You could ask me."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Haha... it's not quite the same, though. You already have an idea in mind of what kind of answer you think I want, and you'll tailor it to suit that. It's just the way people are."  
   
> Narukami's eyes widen. He looks genuinely alarmed and uncomfortable. Looks like you hit a nerve. Unintentionally, too.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You can tell... when people do that?"  
   
> So he does it a lot. Figures. He's too eager to please.  
> Your smile sharpens a little.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Oh, yes. I'm very good at reading people. It's one of my skills as an investigator."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Oh."  
   
> Is he sweating? He looks like he might be sweating a little. He flicks his tongue out over his lips and glances away, clearly trying to look unaffected.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I guess, if you want to know what I really think..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I think Kira sincerely wants to do the right thing. He's driven by a strong sense of justice and a desire to change the world for the better. He's a highly motivated person, and I think... in some ways, that's admirable."  
   
> Narukami hurries to add the usual caveat.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Of course I don't think what he does is admirable at all!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I just think that... everybody can be redeemed, no matter what they've done, and... the kind of person Kira is... he's got a lot of good qualities."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"What he does is evil, but... he himself isn't. I don't think."  
   
> You raise your eyebrows and say nothing. You let him make himself nervous, falling silent, waiting for your reaction.  
> There is a simple pleasure in being able to control someone so easily. You could make him feel whatever you want. You could make him cry right now, if you wanted to.  
> As the silence stretches on, Yu grows visibly more and more uncomfortable. Anxious that he said the wrong thing, that he offended you, that he ruined your opinion of him.  
> He is so pathetic.  
> You know if you stretch the silence any further, it'll break; Yu will get too uncomfortable and start backpedaling, which isn't what you want.  
> You smile, and the tension in Yu's shoulders dissolves.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"That's a very kindhearted way of looking at things."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I think... everyone who's experienced some kind of hardship can empathize with Kira's thinking... that's why he's so popular."  
   
> His eyes widen and he holds up his hands.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm not saying you're like that, though, Yagami-san!"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"No, you're right. There are times when even I think about..."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"L wanted Kira to be executed. But that belief, that criminals should be killed... what's really the difference between Kira and the police, in the end?"  
   
> Narukami wrinkles his brow into a small frown, looking thoughtful.  
> You comb a hand through your hair and exhale.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"We should head down. Sorry for talking about something so gloomy."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It's alright... I'm happy to talk about whatever you want to talk about, Yagami-san."  
   
> Of course he is.  
> You smile at him, and he looks dazzled.  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Tell me about yourself."  
   
> Narukami looks surprised.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Myself...?"  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"What do you do after school when you're not doing this? Are you in any clubs?"  
   
> You talked to Yu about after-school activities on your way back down the tower.  
 

 **> TV World Entrance...**  
   
> Yosuke and the others look grouchy, but fine.  
   
Yosuke  
"I'm telling you, it's Teddie's fault!!"  
   
Kanji  
"You're the one who's supposed to be the leader, dammit!"  
   
Teddie  
"Boys, don't fight over me!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Arghhh!! Teddie, I'm so not in the mood for you to be making stupid jokes right now!!"  
   
Naoto  
"Gentlemen, please stop fighting. As you can see, we've made it back to the entrance safe and sound. Next time, we will take steps to ensure we do not lose our way again. Let's not get wrapped up in assigning blame."  
   
Chie  
"It was prooobably Yosuke's fault, though."  
   
Yosuke  
"Chie!!!"  
   
Chie  
"You're the upperclassman _and_ Yu put you in charge!"  
   
> Narukami sighs, somewhat fondly, and steps forward, holding his hands out placatingly.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Everyone, calm down. I'm sorry you got lost and I'm glad you were all able to make it back safely."  
   
> Narukami gets everyone to calm down and stop bickering, and everyone sits around trying to decide how not to get lost again...  
> Narukami approaches the fox and attempts to talk it into approaching you, but it refuses.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Well... that's that, then, I suppose. We'll have to come back another day, since I'm out of supplies."  
   
> The fox gives you a nasty look.  
> You... don't really understand what that's all about, but you decided it's best not to ask.  
   
> Over the next few days, you get to the top of the tower, back to the room you woke up in...  
> There is an unusually large Shadow at the top, but you dispatch it with relative ease.  
> You settle into a comfortable rhythm with Narukami and the others, as they figure out how to work around you. Narukami seems happy to shift into a supporting position and allow you to use your more powerful Persona to deal the lion's share of the damage when you explore.  
> The others follow his lead, though Yosuke (of course) seems aggravated with the new way of things.  
> After you finish a complete investigation of your Shadow world, you investigate Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi's. You don't find anything useful, though... if there was ever any evidence to find, it's gone. You're not surprised.  
> You suggest that the two groups try exploring outwards from Yamano and Konishi's worlds, because you feel reasonably certain that if Adachi has one, it'll be near there.  
> Spending a lot of time with Narukami and his friends quickly begins to wear on your already-frayed nerves... they're all very annoying.  
> This case is taking much longer than you thought it would. It's very unpleasant, and very boring.  
> You play nice, but... you wish you could do something else.  
> You take care to not end up in a room alone with Adachi. He's the only one you could conceivably take out your frustrations on, and it's getting more and more difficult to resist the impulse to do something stupid. Being alone with him is not a good idea. You don't want to do anything you'll regret.  
 

 **> Inaba Police Station...**  
   
Adachi  
"He's asking around about you, y'know."  
   
> You look at Adachi out of the corner of your eye. He's looking at porn on his work computer, browsing it with the same bored disinterest that a normal person might have idly clicking through the news. His chin is propped up on his hand, and his expression is completely flat.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Mello? I know."  
   
> Lucky for you, Mello is obviously a criminal and nobody in Inaba trusts him. However... you are still going to have to have some pretend bonding time with Yu and head off any possible suspicion Mello might spark.  
> Telling him that Mello is the one who kidnapped Sayu and killed your father will be good for you. Mello is here to harrass you. Nobody should believe anything he says; he's a violent unstable criminal with a personal grudge against you and your family.  
> This frame has the added convenience of being entirely true. Even if they wanted to dispute it, they couldn't. The facts are on your side. If you tell Yu this while looking suitably upset, he'll naturally want to defend you from any suspicions Mello might raise.  
> Adachi's mouth curls into a crooked smile and his eyes flick over to you for a second.  
   
Adachi  
"Whatcha gonna do about it?"  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cheerful Coworker  
"Nothing."  
   
> You still have to figure out how you're going to kill Mello. There's no getting around the fact that Near will suspect you, no matter what.  
   
Adachi  
"Ehh? Nothing? That's no fun."  
  
Light Yagami  
"Obviously I'm going to do _something,_ eventually, but for now..."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Unless he commits a crime, there's not much I can do."  
   
Adachi  
"Ohhh, because everyone will know it was you. Gotcha."  
   
Adachi  
"Boy, you've sure got yourself in a pickle, haven't you? Seems like no matter what you do, you're screwed. You leave him be, everyone finds out you're a murderer. You kill him, everyone finds out you're a murderer."  
   
> Adachi is smiling broadly now.  
> Your jaw tightens. He's going to do something... but what, you can't tell.  
> You should fill in Narukami sooner, rather than later.  
 

 **> TV World Entrance...**  
   
> Everyone is getting ready to split up and head out into the fog, chatting amongst themselves.  
> You catch Narukami's eye and smile, and he trots over.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san!"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"Narukami, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."  
   
> Narukami's eyes widen, but he tries not to be too obvious about it.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Oh?"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I don't know if you've noticed him, but there's been a shady character hanging around town lately."  
   
> Yosuke is watching you with sharp suspicious eyes. As usual, you pretend not to see him.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Ah... yes. The foreigner. He's scary."  
   
> Narukami doesn't look scared; you don't read any kind of fear in his eyes, either. He says "he's scary" as though it's simply fact, as though he's repeating something someone else told him.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He's been asking about you."  
   
Light Yagami  
"You've talked to him?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"A little. I talk to everyone."  
   
> He shrugs loosely.  
   
Light Yagami  
"What did he ask you?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He asked me if I knew you, then he asked me if I thought you were trustworthy. He asked if I'd ever seen you doing anything I thought was suspicious, and then gave me a phone number to call if I ever thought of anything suspicious you'd done."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He said he's investigating the Kira case, but..."  
   
> Narukami wrinkles his nose.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm not sure I believe him."  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"He's not."  
   
> You grab Narukami's arm and tug him closer, allowing a sense of urgency to creep into your voice.  
> Narukami is too surprised and flattered by your attention to pull away.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"That man's name is Mello. He works with the American mafia. He is the one responsible for my sister's kidnapping and my father's death."  
   
> Narukami's eyes go very wide.  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"He is a very dangerous person. Those scars he has... during a police raid on a building he was using as a base for his mob activities, he set off multiple explosions, reducing the entire structure to rubble while he was still inside."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He blew himself up?!"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"Yes. He's unstable, violent, and he's got it out for my family."  
   
> Narukami looks appropriately horrified.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Why haven't you arrested him?"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"I can't. There's no evidence against him. He's... careful."  
   
> Narukami swallows and wrings his hands, looking very worried.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'll tell everyone to be careful."  
   
> And there you go-- Mello neutralized, simple as that. Yu is so easy.  
> Your mouth twitches into a smile. You can't help it.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Good."  
   
> Before Yu can say anything else, Rise comes over.  
   
Rise  
"Senpaaaai, stop hogging Light!!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He wanted to talk to me."  
   
> Rise grabs onto your arm and grins at the both of you.  
   
Rise  
"Whatcha talkin' about?"  
   
> Narukami doesn't answer, instead looking at you for direction.  
   
Light Yagami  
"The biker who's been hanging around town."  
   
Rise  
"Ahh, that guy?! He's such a creep!!"  
   
Light Yagami, Tragic Hero  
"He's the one who killed my father."  
   
> Rise gasps, eyes going wide.  
   
Rise  
"Then-- is he the one who-- who hurt Sayu-chan?!"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Yes."  
   
Rise  
"Oh my gosh! Are-- are you okay?? Don't worry, we'll take him on if we have to!! We've got your back!"  
   
> Rise tightens her grip on your arm.  
> Yu nods seriously.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"That's right."  
   
Light Yagami, Your Cool Senpai  
"Thank you. I appreciate it."  
   
> They really do think you're friends.  
> You give them a bland smile, and let Rise chatter at you about how cool she thinks Sayu is for a while, only half-listening. Your attention is mostly on Yu as he crosses the platform to Yosuke.  
> You can't hear them at first over Rise's blathering, but you can read their body language just fine. Yosuke's in a bad mood; he usually is, it seems. Yu seems baffled, but concerned.  
> You focus, tuning out Rise entirely.  
Yosuke  
"Are you taking him with you again?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"You mean Yagami-san? Yes."  
   
Yosuke  
"Is that really a good idea?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We've talked about this before, Yosuke. He needs me on hand for support, otherwise he can't be as effective. If he went with the other group, someone else would need to be focused on him, and that might be dangerous. For everyone involved."  
   
Yosuke  
"Well, yeah, but..."  
   
> Yosuke trails off, glancing at you.  
> Yu shifts closer to him, concern scrawled all over his face.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Do you want to come with us this time?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Hell no! I don't wanna be anywhere near that creep!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke, he's part of the team now. Everyone else likes him. Maybe if you just gave him a chance, you would like him, too."  
   
Yosuke  
"...Hmmph."  
   
> Yosuke crosses his arms over his chest and scowls.  
> Yu looks exasperated.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Can you at least tell me what about him bothers you so much?"  
   
Yosuke  
"He's... you're going to say I'm stupid."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm not."  
   
> Yosuke stares at Yu for a long minute before he seems to believe that he's not going to get some kind of blowback.  
   
Yosuke  
"...Fine. He's too perfect."  
   
> Yu arches one eyebrow, and Yosuke flushes.  
> Across the platform, you narrow your eyes.  
> L said something to that effect, too.  
   
Yosuke  
"I can't-- I can't explain it, dude. It's just... like..."  
   
> Yosuke struggles to articulate what he's talking about, gesturing vaguely.  
   
Yosuke  
"Everything he says is always _just right._ Y'know? It's always _exactly_ what he's supposed to say."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm not sure I understand."  
   
Yosuke  
"Aagh... it's like... it's just a feeling, okay? It's like-- it's like he's a _robot_ , or like-- he's just _creepy,_ I don't know how to explain it! Every time he looks at me it's like he's-- he's _reading me_ , y'know? Like, he doesn't just _listen_ to people, he _catalogues_."  
   
> You tense, but Narukami just looks puzzled.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...He's not a bad guy."  
   
Yosuke  
"You seriously don't get a weird vibe from him at all??"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"No."  
   
> Yosuke looks at him almost desperately, then, like he wants Yu to be lying. But he isn't, and Yosuke slumps, looking defeated.  
   
Yosuke  
"Well... can you... I don't know, can you _try?_ "  
   
> Yu looks even more puzzled and exasperated, but he pats Yosuke on the shoulder anyway.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Sure."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...We should get going, now."  
   
> You've been finding other places in the TV world-- entrances to worlds unexplored. Some of them replicas of buildings in Inaba, some of them strange fanciful places. You've been to everyone's, by now-- the castle, the bathhouse, the club, the bunker, the liquor store, the apartment-- and made your mental notes on how they function.  
> Narukami doesn't have one. Neither do Yosuke or Chie. But they're out there somewhere-- mixed in with the houses and circuses and halls of mirrors.  
> Most of the new places you duck into only briefly; Rise scans them, you poke around, and then you decide they're not related and move on, having made a note of where they are just in case. Every time, Rise backs you up: _yeah, no, this doesn't feel like what we're looking for_.  
> Sometimes Yu insists on poking around, opening boxes and dissolving some Shadows so he can collect the weird shit he likes to collect-- shiny bits of glass and ugly snacks and useless keychains.  
> You've watched them enough to understand how things work. Yu tells everyone what to do, rapid and efficient and calculating, and they listen to him without question. It's impressive, actually, how well they respond.  
> You listen to him sometimes. Other times you don't. You listen to him enough that he feels confident that you respect him; you ignore him just enough to get the point across. You're not one of his friends. You're an adult. You know what you're doing.  
> You set yourself apart from the group, so that when Yu stands with you he has to separate himself, too.  
> It's cute, watching him do the same thing with Shadows; drawing them close to him and then darting away, staying just close enough to keep their interest but not quite close enough to touch, so they keep following him until he kills them.  
> When they're bored, the kids race each other, play word games, try to make their Personas do backflips. The races are the best, when you can hang back like you're better than them and force Yu to hang back with you because he can't leave you alone.  
> The others are comfortable with you, of course-- Yu likes you, so you're part of the group, even if it's not quite the same.  
   
Yukiko  
"Chie, you know Yagami-san's too cool to race us."  
   
Chie  
"Ooh, what if it's just because he's really slow??"  
   
Rise  
"No way! Light-kun, you've gotta be pretty fast, right? From chasing down perps!"  
   
> The word _perps_ sends Yukiko into a giggle fit, staggering and hunching over, cackling with delight.  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"I do technical work, actually. With computers. A fair amount of white-collar crime. I don't do much perp-chasing. I am actually... quite slow."  
   
Yukiko  
"I don't think we even have white-collar crime in Inaba."  
   
Chie  
"Yeah, it's cuz we're all too poor."  
   
> Yukiko gasps, sounding rather scandalized.  
   
Yukiko  
"Chie!"  
   
Chie  
"What? It's true!"  
   
Rise  
"Yeah, I mean... where would you even embezzle money from, around here?"  
   
Chie  
"One of those businesses... you know, the office-building places! They probably have some money, right?"  
   
Yukiko  
"It's not all embezzlement, right, Yagami-san?"  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"Haha, no. I do a lot of work with hackers-- cyber-criminals, blackmails, that sort of--"  
   
Chie  
" _Cyber-criminals!!_ "  
   
Yukiko  
"So futuristic!"  
   
> They roll smoothly from one topic to another, perfectly comfortable oscillating between elaborate jokes and serious discussion and bored idle gossip. They have an easy rhythm that you can't quite grasp, not entirely. You understand it, but you can't match it.  
> Of course you don't have to; your inability to entirely keep up with them is useful for your image, but it nags at you that there is something you simply cannot do.  
> They are good friends. Best friends. They know each other, and are utterly stupidly confident in their friendship.  
> Perhaps if you'd ever had friends, you would be able to synchronize with them more easily. If you yourself had ever had this kind of tumbling freefall of a conversation with anyone-- jokes building on jokes building on jokes until they fall apart and move on...  
> But you haven't. These conversations happen around you. You interject occasionally with a particularly well-placed pun, or with some ironic fact-correction, or when someone asks you to weigh in, but you otherwise smile and stay quiet.  
> Yu isn't quite as manic as the others, but he does have a terrible sense of humor. More often than not, he's the one pushing everyone further into the realm of the absurd, twisting their jokes into something bizarre and nigh-incomprehensible and expecting the others to play along.  
> They love him for it.  
> They love him to the ends of the earth, and initially the extent of their fierce dedication is concerning-- but further observation proves you haven't got anything to worry about. They are, for the most part, absolutely accepting of him and all of his decisions. They might complain or needle him with questions, but only Yosuke ever seems to seriously push back against his leadership.  
> Yu is their backbone, their brains, their central focus. If he's worn out, they go home. If he wants to go somewhere, that's where they go. They structure their behavior around him; when he starts to structure his behavior around you, they fall in line.  
> Even Naoto, who one would think would have more sense-- in the end, intelligent or no, she's still just a little girl playing dress-up. Sure, she takes a little more effort, but it's hardly noteworthy. You lean a bit and she crumbles.  
> It's juvenile and you know it, but you amuse yourself by finding ways to make the kids uncomfortable without ever letting them realize you're making them uncomfortable. It's a little game you like to play with yourself, sharpening your observation and social skills. It keeps you engaged when you're bored. Keeps you on your toes.  
> They're all easy, but there's something particularly satisfying about picking at Naoto, pulling the loose threads, watching her fall apart.  
> Naoto wants to be you. She wants so desperately to be you that she can't bear to think of there being anything wrong with you. You're her idol.  
> You can see her staring intently at you when she thinks you're not looking, studying the way you hold yourself, the way you walk, the way you move your hands. You see her shifting her shoulders, mimicking your posture, trying it on like you imagine she might your clothing. Like your clothing would, the mannerisms she mimics don't fit; they hang strangely on her tiny girlish frame.  
> With her, it's obvious. The only exercise here is in restraint.  
> Naoto wears her insecurities everywhere she goes; she's so vulnerable she may as well be inside-out.  
> You sprinkle it in, consistent but impossible to pin down.  
> You never refer to her as Naoto- _kun_ , like the others do, and eventually that spreads to all of them like an infection. Strip that away, and suddenly they're more comfortable echoing Teddie's _Nao-chan_ s-- only in jest, of course.  
> "Ladies first," you say, and hold the door open for her. You offer to take her coat for her, pull out chairs, offer her your umbrella, tagging each with some offhand little comment-- like a "ma'am" said wryly enough that it could be a joke.  
> It's hardly anything at all, and yet her discomfort multiplies with every little piece. You watch her go through the same internal routine every time: she is uncomfortable, then tries to figure out why she's uncomfortable, can't do it, and attempts to dismiss it. She has a baffling lack of social awareness that extends to herself; she doesn't know why she's uncomfortable, not in the slightest.  
> Kanji is so easy you hardly even bother. All he takes is a few sidelong looks, a smile once in a while, a brush of skin on skin, and he's spinning out of control. Kanji bores you, honestly. He requires no effort and no attention.  
> Chie and Yukiko are a work in progress. Both of them are so tightly wrapped up in each other, so obliviously confident, that it's tricky finding an angle of approach. You score a few chance hits here and there-- but they're obvious points, cold reads, nothing terribly intelligent.  
> Yosuke is a fun little tangle. Desperately attracted to you, yet almost equally repulsed. He's the only one with that prey-animal sense for danger; he can smell it on you, and you suspect he'll smell it on Adachi. That's amusing, too; he'll know you're right, and he'll hate you all the more for it.  
> With Yosuke, you pretend you don't notice any of it; oblivious to his scowling and ogling alike, unless you're feeling spiteful enough to make him squirm.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ah, Hanamura. You seem distracted. Are you feeling alright?"  
   
> You press your hand against his forehead: paternalistic enough to be annoying, but enough contact to make him flustered nonetheless.  
> Naturally, he jerks away and insists he's fine, but he stutters, and his cheeks are stained red. You can see him trying to read you, trying to figure out what it is you're trying to do-- of course, with the painfully obvious undercurrent of _is this real, does he like me, maybe it's real, maybe he likes me_.  
> Yosuke is not smart enough to figure out anything about you; he just runs himself in useless circles. He's only smart enough to know he's not smart enough.  
> You still don't understand a single thing about Teddie. He's not really a person; you try to ignore him, for the most part. He's incredibly irritating, and doesn't have much depth.  
> Rise you leave alone.  
> You don't like any of them, but if you had to pick one, it would be her. You do not dislike her, which is something of an achievement on its own. She's too much like Sayu for you to hate-- Sayu when she was younger, before the world broke her.  
> Rise is sharp. You're tempted to help make her sharper, but for now you hold off.  
   
> Yu still makes you food. He's insistent about it. When he can, he chaperones your grocery shopping like he's your damn mother.  
> This is irritating to no end, but then. But _then._  
> You step into Junes, and Adachi is there, lurking by the elevator. Yu is talking to him, like he does-- hanging on his every word, eyes intent and focused and dazzled--  
> But Yu sees you walk in, stops, and murmurs some hasty apologies to Adachi. Then he leaves Adachi to come trotting over to you like a dog whose favorite person just got home.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san! Hello! Are you going grocery shopping?"  
   
> And behind him, Adachi looks legitimately angry. His mouth goes into a hard line, his nose wrinkles, all semblance of goofy harmlessness dropped.  
> Adachi scowls at you, tilts his head to the side, and mouths, "fuck off," at you.  
> You can't help a genuine honest-to-God smile.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Narukami. Yes, I am going grocery shopping. Care to join me?"  
   
> Yu was just about to ask if he could join you-- you heading him off just compounds his obvious delight.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yes, of course!"  
   
> To add insult to injury, you very deliberately look at Adachi, and nod.  
   
Light Yagami  
"You're not busy?"  
   
> And, right on cue-- the kid's memorized his part so well-- Yu shakes his head.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"No, not at all."  
   
> And _oh,_ does that hit Adachi just right-- you can see it rattle him in his _bones._ That little needle slides right under his skin.  
> He just wants attention, after all, and Yu's good for that-- his focused stare, his eager nods, his careful attempts at pleasing everyone around him at once.  
> Like a child with his favorite toy taken away, you can see Adachi preparing a tantrum-- tension coiling up his spine, hostility twisting his face, shattering his mask into pieces. There he is: the murderer, the coward, the _human being._ Fallible, spiteful, error-prone. Nothing like you.  
> You can't resist grinding salt into the wound, not when he makes it so easy.  
> You wink at Adachi when Yu's not looking, and you put your hand on Yu's shoulder.  
> Adachi narrows his eyes and looks, for once, almost dangerous.  
> Even you can't quite hold back a brief cut-off laugh.  
 

**> November 9 th...**

**> Junes Food Court...**  
   
> You arrive early, as you often do.  
> You stop short at the edge of the food court when you hear, to your surprise, Yu's voice raised. A glance before you duck out of sight reveals Yu and Yosuke standing at the usual table, with the shrine fox curled around Yosuke's feet.  
> They appear to be fighting.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I told you all not to talk to him!!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Yeah, because Yagami-san told you to tell us that, right??"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"No, Yosuke, because he's _obviously dangerous._ "  
   
Yosuke  
"He hasn't hurt anybody since he got to town, all he does is sit on his motorcycle and eat chocolate-- for crying out loud, he looks like he's our age!"  
   
> Yu is quiet for a moment. When he speaks again, his voice is lower; still vaguely dangerous-sounding, but no longer angry.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Fine. What did you talk about."  
   
Yosuke  
"Yagami-san."  
   
> You can't see them, but you imagine something must flicker across Yu's face, because Yosuke makes an aggravated noise.  
   
Yosuke  
"Yu, he thinks Yagami-san might be Kira. That, combined with what happened in the tower--"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"No _._ "  
   
Yosuke  
"It can't just be a coincidence! It's too suspicious! His whole world, his Midnight Channel video, it all practically screamed _I'm Kira_ , and I _bet_ his Shadow did, too--"  
   
Yu Narukami  
" _No_ , Yosuke."  
   
Yosuke  
"Partner, his story was obviously bullshit, and now we've got someone completely unrelated to this case coming in and saying he's Kira--"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Mello killed Yagami-san's father."  
   
> Yosuke stops.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"And he's the one who kidnapped Yagami-san's younger sister. He is a dangerous violent criminal. Yagami-san told me to tell you all to stay away from him because he's _worried_ about you. All of us."  
   
Yosuke  
"He's probably lying!"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"..."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yosuke, I'm not stupid."  
   
> There is a very long pause.  
> When Yosuke speaks again, it's quiet-- difficult to parse-- and defeated.  
   
Yosuke  
"That's not what I'm saying."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Well, it's what I'm hearing."  
   
> You decide this is a good time to round the corner and walk over, smiling, hands in your pockets.  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"Hey, you two. Am I early?"  
   
> Yosuke doesn't look at you.  
> Yu visibly swallows some anger, smooths his face, and smiles at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san. Hello. You're always early."  
   
> You make nice pleasant conversation with Yu while Yosuke sulks, silent and furious and completely unable to do anything at all about it.  
 

 **> November 11 th...**  
   
> It's Sunday. You have the day off, and it's raining.  
> The shopping district is quiet, today, and the kids are using their day off to goof around. Taking their scooters to the city, curling up with homework, doing favors for people, doing work.  
> The bell on the door to the convenience store rings when you step inside. It's still as cluttered as ever in here... you close your umbrella and leave it in the rack by the door.  
> You need aspirin. You always need aspirin.  
> The store cycles through brands at a weirdly rapid rate; every time you're in here the OTC pain medication is a new array of bizarre labels you've never seen before, and you have to inspect them all to sort out the superstitious nonsense from the actual medicine.  
> Inevitably, about half of it is foreign, which is vaguely suspicious.  
> You're squinting at the tiny German text on a bottle of pills, trying to translate through your headache even though you barely remember any German, when Adachi flicks his fingers against the back of your neck.  
> The contact sends a nauseous jolt down your spine; you whip around.  
   
Adachi  
"Heh. Hey, Light."  
   
> Adachi's slouching, hands in his pockets, with an ominous smugness glittering in his eyes and curving his mouth.  
   
Light Yagami  
"What do you want?"  
   
Adachi  
"Just getting a couple things at the store, man. No need to get all defensive."  
   
> Adachi cocks his head to the side, and his smile widens.  
   
Adachi  
"So, you like your present?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"What?"  
   
> You have absolutely no idea what he's talking about. What's he done? Nailed a dead cat to your door?  
   
Adachi  
"Oh, you haven't noticed? Some genius detective you are. I would've thought you'd be sharper than that."  
   
> Adachi's very pleased with himself. You glance around; the only other person here is Old Lady Shiroku.  
> It seems that Adachi has done something.  
> You take a step towards him and Adachi inches back. He looks bright and amused.  
> To shake him out of it, you grab a fistful of his shirt and shove him up against the shelf behind him, arm pressed across his chest.  
> Your face is empty. Your eyes are dark.  
   
Light Yagami  
"What did you do?"  
   
Adachi  
"I got rid of your little problem. I did you a favor, wasn't that sweet of me? You're welcome."  
   
> You narrow your eyes and lean harder on him.  
   
Light Yagami  
" _What_ problem."  
   
Adachi  
"Hundred seventy-one centimeters high, blond, tacky outfit? Ringing any bells? Kidnapped your baby sister?"  
   
> Mello.  
> Adachi did something to him.  
   
Adachi  
"It's raining."  
   
> Adachi is looking, with mild interest, out the front glass door of the shop.  
   
Adachi  
"Wonder if there'll be anything good on tonight."  
   
> You release Adachi abruptly and step back, breathing in through your teeth.  
> You do not appreciate having your hand forced. This means you have to _move._ You have to decide what you're doing with Mello. If you want him dead, you'll have to think fast, because Yu and his friends will be all over this.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shit."  
   
Adachi  
"Look at those cogs turning."  
   
> He shifts closer to you until _you're_ the one backed up against the shelf in the narrow aisle.  
> When his face is close to yours, his light smile vanishes, replaces with one of those bitter ugly looks he reserves for you.  
> You jerk a hand up to shove him away, and Adachi grabs your wrist. His long fingers close entirely around your arm, it's so thin. His grip is strong. It'll bruise.  
   
Adachi  
"You think I can't play chess, you arrogant prick?"  
   
Adachi  
" _Check._ "  
   
> A surprising amount of actual anger bubbles up in your chest. You keep your face still, your breathing steady, but Adachi is close enough to your face that any little twitch is obvious.  
   
KIRA, GOD OF THIS WORLD  
"You're going to lose."  
   
Adachi  
"We'll see."  
   
> Adachi tightens his grip on your arm before he pushes off you and moves away, leaving your arm with the dull ache of a bruise-in-progress.  
> His face settles back into an amused smile. He shrugs, and blinks sleepily at you.  
   
Adachi  
"Your move, Yagami-kun."  
   
> Mello...  
> He has to die in the TV.  
> Even if he could give evidence against Adachi, now-- this is the perfect opportunity to be rid of him.  
> You were going to kill him anyway. Adachi's accelerated your plans, but you're not trapped in any way.  
> You just have to make sure that Yu and his friends don't rescue him.  
   
**> Your Apartment...**  
   
> It's late.  
> It's still raining.  
> There might be something on the Midnight Channel tonight...  
> You sit on your couch, spinning an apple in your hands, not eating it as you stare at the black void of your TV screen.  
> Your reflection is dim and strange; you can make out the impression of yourself, but no real specifics. A shadowed face, thin arms.  
> You need a haircut.  
> At midnight exactly, your television whirs to life with an unpleasant electronic feedback noise. It's staticky at first, but then solidifies into a crystal-clear image.  
> Or... an image, at least, but not one that's terribly clear.  
> You see Mello, yellow-eyed and sharp-toothed-grinning, surrounded by a cloud of darkness. He's lounging on what looks like some kind of competition podium, propped up by inky-black Shadows.  
> On the floor in front of him in a ragged heap is another Mello; he's struggling to get up, but more Shadows have him affixed to the floor, black Shadow-stuff wrapped around his wrists and legs and neck. The Shadows are nearly swallowing him. He is screaming, furiously, in English, at his Shadow.  
> Then it shuts off, and your phone rings.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Were you watching the Midnight Channel just now?"  
   
> He's breathless and alarmed.  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"Mm."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"It was him, wasn't it? Mello."  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"Yes. It was him."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"He's fighting his Shadow already, and it looks like he was losing-- they're not usually so aggressive so soon-- and we didn't get a warning again--"  
   
> Yu is panicking.  
> Already, you're the one he calls when he's distressed; not Yosuke, not any of the others. It's you.  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"Calm down."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...Sorry."  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"We'll go in tomorrow. Okay?"  
   
> Yu exhales a breath and agrees, more calmly, to attempt to rescue Mello tomorrow.  
 

 **> November 12 th...**  
**> TV World Entrance...**  
   
> As usual, everyone is gathered in the entrance. The atmosphere is tense. Everyone is anxious to get going, fiddling with their weapons and unusually quiet.  
   
Naoto  
"Once again, no warning, and the victim did not appear on TV. It seems that our fears are confirmed, and the killer's modus operandi has changed."  
   
> Naoto's voice is low and troubled.  
   
Rise  
"But what's the pattern now? We thought with you and then Light it was that he was targeting people associated with the case, but this guy-- Mello-- he's got nothing to do with it."  
   
Naoto  
"The last three victims, including Mello-san, were out-of-towners... perhaps... no, that's not it. It doesn't fit. _Nothing_ fits...!"  
   
Yosuke  
"Maybe it's just random. Maybe it was always random."  
   
> Yu, who has vanished-- as he sometimes does, before you all head out-- steps out of nothingness, ruffling his own hair, and looks right at you.  
> Everyone shifts, straightening up and looking at him like they always do, getting ready to move, but he shakes his head and waves his hand at them.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san, could you come over here?"  
   
> This is surprising. Usually he briskly moves on after doing whatever it is he does. All he's ever said is something about his unique multiple-Personas ability.  
> You glance around at everyone else; they seem surprised, as well. Hanamura's visibly biting back a snide remark.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Sure."  
   
> You push away from the scaffolding you were leaning against and stride over to Yu.  
> He glances at the thin air he just appeared out of, and wrings his hands.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"This has never happened before, but... Margaret asked to talk to you."  
   
> Yu gives you one of his strange thoughtful looks.  
> Then he holds out his hand to you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We'll need to hold hands."  
   
> ...  
> You're not convinced that's true at all.  
> You raise your eyebrows at him and he keeps stubbornly staring at you.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Why? And who is Margaret?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"She and Igor help me with my Personas and all that. She's my friend."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"She says you have to touch me to be able to see the door, because it's mine."  
   
> You won't pass up an opportunity to learn more about how his power works.  
> You take his hand...  
> !!  
> A glowing blue door appears right behind him! The door has some strange designs on it that appear entirely decorative.  
> You follow Narukami through the door, and you find yourself... in a limosine?  
 

 **> The Velvet Room...**  
   
> This car is very... blue.  
> There's a small man in a suit with a very long nose, leaning over a table. He looks very strange. This must be Igor.  
> Next to him, there's a foreign-looking woman with pale yellow eyes and paler hair... Margaret, presumably. She's wearing all blue, nearly the exact same deep shade as the interior of the car, and holding a large book on her lap.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I brought him."  
   
> Igor smiles at you. Margaret purses her lips.  
   
Igor  
"Welcome to the Velvet Room."  
   
Margaret  
"This is a space that only those who have, in one way or another, entered into a contract may enter."  
   
Igor  
"My name is Igor, and this is my assistant Margaret. We provide guidance to our guest, Yu Narukami, as he proceeds along his journey."  
   
Igor  
"It seems your path has joined with our guest's for a time, Light Yagami."  
   
> The way he's looking at you is friendly, but piercing. You feel like he knows everything about you. It's unsettling.  
> This man has a peculiar cadence to his speech that sounds unnatural. It's not quite wrong, but wrong enough to be oddly distracting to listen to.  
   
Igor  
"Perhaps we may provide you with some guidance, as well."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Guidance?"  
   
Margaret  
"I have summoned you here because I wish to speak with you."  
   
> She looks at Yu, levelling a flat glare at his face.  
> Margaret seems rather severe.  
   
Margaret  
"In private."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Oh! Okay."  
   
> Yu moves to leave, then stops, worry clouding his face for a moment as he looks back at you.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Will he be alright here without me? This place won't... disappear?"  
   
> Igor smiles at him.  
   
Igor  
"We'll make sure he is returned safely to the other world. No harm will come to him while he is in our care. He is a guest, after all."  
   
> Narukami nods, and then opens the door of the limosine and disappears.  
> You're alone with Margaret and Igor in the Velvet Room...  
> You can feel the limosine moving, which is strange. You can't see out the windows. Where is this, exactly?  
   
Margaret  
"I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here."  
   
> She doesn't wait for you to answer.  
   
Margaret  
"I have called you here to speak with you about the bond you have with our guest."  
   
Margaret  
"Or, perhaps more accurately, the bond _he_ has with _you._ "  
   
> Igor holds up one of his strange long hands.  
   
Igor  
"First, allow me to explain. Light Yagami, do you know what a Persona is?"  
   
> Is this some sort of test?  
> They are both looking at you...  
> This whole scenario is very strange. You should probably play along with it, though. You don't really understand what this place is, and you need to be able to get back.  
   
Light Yagami  
"As I understand it, a Persona is a magical power drawn from the strength of one's spirit. It represents a face that the user shows to the world in order to protect themselves."  
   
Igor  
"Yes... in a manner of speaking. One could also say that the Persona ability is the power to control one's own heart."  
   
> He pauses, still smiling, and steeples his fingers.  
   
Igor  
"The heart is strengthened through bonds. This is a basic fact about people... all people draw strength and support from their bonds with other people."  
   
Igor  
"Which isn't to say that individual strength is impossible, of course. You, for example, possess enormous power without the assistance of interpersonal bonds... however, your power is unstable and comes at great cost to your personal wellbeing."  
   
> !?  
> You're not really sure what to make of that.  
> Is he really talking about your Persona, or...?  
   
Soichiro  
"That power is a curse... it doesn't matter how it's used. The happiness achieved by murdering people cannot be true happiness."  
   
> ....................  
> How could Igor know about the Death Note? It's impossible. He's talking about Messiah, of course.  
   
Igor  
"Yu Narukami's power is drawn primarily from his bonds, or Social Links. Social Links are necessary for more than strengthening his Persona, however... at times, they help light the way to the truth he searches for."  
   
Igor  
"He forms bonds as anyone does... by becoming involved with others. Working together to move towards a greater understanding of the self... this is how humans grow closer and stronger."  
   
Igor  
"If one strengthens one's bonds properly, their power will help them to overcome any ordeal. Our role is to facilitate that. We assist with the maintenance and creation of Yu Narukami's bonds and Personae."  
   
Margaret  
"Our guest has formed one such Social Link with you. I would not ordinarily intervene in such matters. However..."  
   
Margaret  
"There are several complications in this particular case which demand attention."  
   
> She opens the thick book she's holding on her lap. You can't see anything on the pages, but she taps her fingers on them like a disapproving librarian.  
   
Margaret  
"If I may be direct... you have stolen the Judgement Arcana Social Link. This card was set aside for a particular relationship, the seeds of which were planted long before your arrival in Inaba. It was not meant for you. This is supposed to be a bond with the Seekers of Truth, not the singular Seeker of Truth."  
   
Igor  
"Now, now, Margaret. A Social Link cannot be stolen. Our guest is free to build relationships with whomever he chooses... while it is true that the future revealed to us in the cards suggested a very different Judgement Social Link, that doesn't mean that this one was not meant to be."  
   
Igor  
"He has not prevented our guest from forming any new bonds, merely shifted the evolutionary trajectory of an already existing one."  
   
> Margaret drums her fingers on the book again and narrows her eyes at you.  
   
Margaret  
"The Judgement Arcana was one of the keys to unlocking the truth hidden in the fog. Now..."  
   
Margaret  
"It would seem that the task of uncovering the truth has fallen in large part to _you_."  
   
> It seems that Margaret and Igor disagree about your relationship with Yu Narukami.  
> Margaret doesn't seem to like you very much, although you don't know why. Igor is... difficult to read.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not sure what you mean by 'the truth.'"  
   
Igor  
"The truth behind the recent events in Inaba, of course."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ah... in that case, I'm not sure I understand what the problem is. I am helping Narukami-kun with his investigation."  
   
Margaret  
"The problem... is the nature of your bond with our guest."  
   
> A glowing blue tarot card rises up off the page of her book and floats in the air.  
> XX... Judgement. The illustration is very simple... black silhouettes over a multi-colored background. It looks a little bit like stained glass.  
> So Narukami's Social Links are associated with tarot Arcana, like the Shadows you fight... and you're Judgement.  
> ...You're somewhat surprised you're not the Devil.  
   
Margaret  
"This Social Link is an illusion. Its strength rests on hollow foundations. Our guest believes, falsely, that you are slowly allowing him to understand you, and that the two of you are gradually becoming closer. The Seeker of Truth Social Link is shrouded in deception and pretense..."  
   
Igor  
"It's certainly ironic."  
   
Margaret  
"Metalworking has nothing to do with it. Please allow me to finish."  
   
> It seems that Margaret doesn't know what irony is.  
> You almost laugh, but you stop yourself just in time. Laughing at her could result in dire consequences for you.  
> Margaret is still staring at you. Her face is composed, her posture impeccable, but you can see a deep well of rage bubbling beneath the surface.  
> She _hates_ you.  
   
Margaret  
"In opening his heart to you, our guest has opened his heart to the fog."  
   
Margaret  
"Once again I would like to make it known that under other circumstances, I would not intervene. Our guest must be allowed to make his own choices."  
   
Margaret  
"But _two_ false Social Links is simply unreasonable. Something has to be done."  
   
> The book in her lap flips through several pages, as though blown by the wind, and an array of tarot cards join the Judgement card. All of them are glowing, some more strongly than others.  
> You scan the cards... it's not a perfect set of the major arcana. There are a few missing, and you see two different 0 cards. The Fool and the Jester.  
> The Fool looks normal-- the same as the other ones-- but the Jester seems... off, somehow. Its glow is dimmer. The illustration seems to warp and shift as you look at it. It looks almost like there's another image underneath the Jester, one that you can't see...  
> That must be the other "false Social Link."  
> A bond based on false premises, disrupting Narukami's path towards the truth...  
> It must be Adachi.  
   
Margaret  
"A genuine bond between people is beneficial to both parties. A source of strength, an opportunity to grow... Even someone like you, who has very few bonds, should understand that. A Social Link mired in deception can never reach its full potential. Whether it be you deceiving him, or our guest deceiving himself."  
   
Margaret  
"I couldn't presume to command you to do anything, but I strongly encourage you to lift the veils of deception and allow our guest to understand you as you truly are."  
   
Igor  
"Through our bonds, our true selves are revealed... one way or another, whether through cooperation or conflict. You can choose to reveal it to him, or wait for him to discover it himself... but it will be revealed."  
   
Margaret  
"If things continue as they have been, then our guest will never be able to access the true power of the Judgement Arcana. However, the end of your path has not yet been decided. It is not too late to change course."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't know what you mean."  
   
> Margaret actually scowls at you.  
> It seems that there is not much point in feigning innocence.  
   
Margaret  
"Light Yagami... Judgement is one of the most important keys to unlocking the truth. You have a responsibility to our guest, and to the world, to ensure that he arrives safely at the truth."  
   
> Igor seems more serene about this than she does.  
   
Igor  
"Well, Margaret... in the end, all things will unfold according to our guest's desires, as always."  
   
> Margaret seems to snap.  
   
Margaret  
"That's all very well and good when our guest's desires are not being _actively manipulated_ by outside forces. One influence pushing our guest towards an unfortunate outcome is allowable and fair, but two... this is simply not reasonable. The scales have been tipped too far."  
   
> Margaret gives you a fierce hostile look.  
   
Margaret  
" _You_ should never have been allowed to come to Inaba. Your presence here is an aberration."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm not sure I follow."  
   
Margaret  
"The game being played in Inaba is a very delicate balancing act, and you--"  
   
Igor  
"Now, now, Margaret."  
   
> Margaret stops talking. She attempts to regain her composure, but it doesn't quite work.  
> Igor is still smiling at you.  
   
Igor  
"As you pull our guest along with you on your journey, Light Yagami... make sure you consider the consequences of your actions carefully."  
   
Light Yagami  
"I always do."  
   
Light Yagami  
"If that's all... may I go?"  
   
Igor  
"Of course. Simply exit through the door, and you will find yourself back in the TV world with our guest."  
   
> The limosine hasn't stopped moving, but...  
> You suppose it's only a metaphor, anyway.  
> You get up to go.  
   
Igor  
"Remember..."  
   
Igor  
"Time delivers us all to the same end."  
   
> You nod, though you haven't the faintest idea why he told you that, and then open the limosine door.  
   
**> TV World Entrance...**  
   
> You stumble back into the TV world, disoriented and perplexed and somewhat annoyed.  
   
Kanji  
"The hell was that about?"  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"Haha... honestly, I'm thinking the same thing, Tatsumi."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"What did Margaret want to talk to you about?"  
   
> You shrug.  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"She gave me some advice. It was sort of cryptic and strange, though."  
   
> Yu nods sagely.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yes, they're like that. I'm sorry for doing that so suddenly. Are you ready to go find Mello?"  
   
Light Yagami  
"Yes, I am."  
   
Yosuke  
"Can I just say, for the record, that I think it's a bad idea to bring him along on this? If Mello's the one who killed his dad, isn't that kind of a conflict of interest?"  
   
Rise  
"I think it speaks to Light's moral character that he'd come in to save such a terrible person."  
   
Kanji  
"Yeah, there's no way I'd be able t' keep it together like he does..."  
   
Naoto  
"Indeed. Yagami-san has shown us time and time again that he is remarkably cool-headed in the face of highly stressful situations. I believe that Yagami-san sincerely wishes to bring Mello to justice, which can only happen if Mello is returned to our world alive and well."  
   
> You smile politely.  
> You would like to rip Mello limb from limb with your bare hands for what he did to Sayu.  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"I've thought about it, and I definitely want to be with you when you find him. I feel like it's... the right thing to do."  
   
> Everyone but Yosuke nods.  
> Yosuke is looking at you with narrowed eyes.  
> Later, as you're all trudging towards the presence Rise feels-- apparently Mello's Shadow is so violent that she can sense it without needing to know hardly anything about him-- you overhear Yosuke attempting once again to pry Yu out of your grasp.  
   
Yosuke  
"Partner... what if it wasn't the killer who put Mello into the TV?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"What are you suggesting?"  
   
Yosuke  
"Yagami-san has a motive."  
   
Yosuke  
"That's-- that's all I'm saying. Yagami-san has a motive."  
   
> Yu fixes Yosuke with a hard look, then looks straight ahead, shoulders tense.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, Yosuke."  
 

 **> Eerie Orphanage...**  
   
> Mello's world is some awful combination of a church, a school, and an orphanage.  
> The Shadows here are more aggressive and difficult than most of the monsters you've faced so far-- even in your tower. They're not stronger, but there's more of them, and they're angrier. You're battling almost constantly as you plow your way through floor after floor of mazelike school rooms.  
> It's not as tall as your tower-- only twelve floors-- but by the time you've reached the top, where Rise says Mello is, everyone is exhausted.  
   
Kanji  
"Shit... I seriously can't go any further... I'm sorry, senpai. I'm tapped out."  
   
Teddie  
"Even the great Teddie can bear-ly stand."  
   
Chie  
"Seriously... we can't beat a big Shadow like this... no way."  
   
> You make a show of leaning against a wall. You aren't as tired as the others; you've been conserving your energy somewhat. Letting them do the heavy lifting.  
> You tilt your head back against the wall and let your eyes flutter shut, exhale a soft tired breath.  
   
Rise  
"Mmmh... I don't wanna push, but... I'm sensing a _lot_ of activity from the Shadow, and... I really don't think Mello can last more than a day or two at best. Whatever it is he's rejecting, he's rejecting it _hard._ "  
   
Yu Narukami  
"We're in no shape to help anyone right now. Everyone... back home. Rest up. We'll save him tomorrow."  
   
> Everyone is reluctant, but they agree.  
   
> When everyone's on their way out, Yu catches you by the arm and holds you back from leaving Junes.  
   
Yu Narukami  
"Yagami-san."  
   
Light Yagami, Easygoing But Distant  
"Mm?"  
   
Yu Narukami  
"I know this must be hard for you."  
   
Yu Narukami  
"...That's all."  
   
> He releases your arm.  
   
> When you get back to your apartment, you wait a few hours before climbing through your TV back into the other world. You wait until it's night time and everything will be dark and quiet and empty.  
> When everyone comes back tomorrow, they cannot be allowed to rescue him.  
> Mello has to die inside the TV.  
> You won't let him get away with what he did.  
> Adachi wants a murder? You'll give him one.  
   
> Naturally you memorized the layout of the orphanage. You climb to the top floor easily, dodging out of the way of as many Shadows as you can and destroying the rest with Messiah.  
> You proceed through the world with the clinical detachment and precision of a surgeon, despite the growing sense of righteous fury that courses through your veins.  
 

 **> Eerie Orphanage, F12**  
   
> There is only one room on the top floor; you push open the door without hesitation.  
> Inside... it's as you suspected.  
> Mello looks half dead already.  
> He's collapsed on the floor, barely breathing and badly bruised. It appears that he's been trying to physically fight his other self... and losing.  
> The room is dark, swarming with Shadows that cling to the walls and ceiling. They don't react to your presence, though; all their glowing red eyes are fixed on Mello.  
> There he is... the man who thought he could lay hands on your baby sister and get away with it. The upstart child who thought he could defy God Himself.  
> His Shadow stands on the other side of the room, glowing and seething, but it says nothing to you.  
> When you walk over, Mello doesn't quite have the strength to react. He twitches and shifts, but nothing more.  
   
KIRA  
"Good to see you again, Mihael Keehl."  
   
> You crouch next to him and smile. He glares at you, but even that seems like it takes too much effort. It's a feeble glare. It doesn't have the usual viciousness behind it.  
> Shaking, he draws his gun and tries to point it at you.  
   
Mello  
"Touch me and I'll kill you."  
   
> You slide your hand over his. His pulse is beating rapidly under his soft pale skin.  
> Mello is terrified.  
> You curl your fingers around his knuckles and tilt his hand back so the gun is pointed at the ceiling and not at you. Your grip is not strong; he is just too weak to stop you.  
   
KIRA  
"I knew you wouldn't have the strength to deal with your other self properly. You're obviously too unstable for that. I'm impressed you've lasted this long, honestly. Sheer force of will, I suppose."  
   
> You gaze down at him...  
> He seems very small. Thin. Delicate, almost.  
> Sayu was right; he can't be any older than she is.  
   
KIRA  
"I almost pity you. Did you really think you could beat me? Did you think you would win?"  
   
> Mello bares his teeth at you and tries to force the gun back towards you. It doesn't work; he's too weak.  
> Instead, you force his hand up and press the barrel of the gun against his temple. You slide your index finger over his, over the trigger.  
> It'll look like suicide.  
   
Mello  
"This isn't the end. You'll get yours."  
   
> It occurs to you, without emotional inflection, that you've never shot anyone before.  
> You've fired a gun, but never at another person. Only at paper targets in a shooting range. They never had faces. They didn't breathe.  
> You stare into Mello's eyes and feel strangely serenely aware of your own body. The beat of your heart. The air in your lungs. When you blink, it's deliberate and strangely slow.  
> You catalogue every piece of this for later study.  
   
KIRA  
"You're not going to beg for mercy?"  
   
> Being a generous god, you give him a chance to confess. To beg for forgiveness. To plead with you. To show even a hint of remorse for what he did.  
> You would absolve him, if he cried for you.  
> Mello spits in your face.  
   
Mello  
"Go to hell."  
   
> You press down on Mello's finger. The trigger is pulled, and a gunshot cracks through the eerie silence of the TV world.  
> ...  
> Just like that...  
> Mello is dead. His eyes are still open, but his corpse is limp under you.  
> His Shadow falls apart, splintering into dozens of smaller black formless Shadows that skitter away into the darkness.  
> It was so easy.  
   
KIRA  
"Heh... heheh."  
   
> You can't remember if you've ever felt heart-pounding exhileration like this.  
> Your broad, almost painful, smile cracks into loud harsh laughter that shakes your entire body.  
 

 **> Central Shopping District, South...**  
   
> You are walking home.  
> You still have to exit from Junes, no matter where you enter from... you should really work on that. Breaking out of a department store in the middle of the night is a bit undignified.  
> The streets are dark and thick with fog.  
> Your hands are shaking. It could be that your entire body is shaking. You have too much energy under your skin.  
> You can still feel the recoil vibrating in your palm.  
> Your phone rings. It sounds especially loud in the foggy night, though you know the volume isn't set that high.  
> You stop and answer it.  
   
Light Yagami  
"This is Light Yagami."  
   
Adachi  
"Hello, police? I've just witnessed a murder on live television."  
   
> Adachi sounds smug.  
> The sound of his voice is extremely grating.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ah. You were watching."  
   
Adachi  
"Of _course_ I was watching."  
   
Adachi  
"I mean-- hahaha, you really went for it! You know he would have just died on his own, right? Shooting him was _literally_ overkill!"  
   
Adachi  
"I gotta say, though: I'm proud of you. You're really coming into your own."  
   
> You feel like someone is watching you right now.  
> But there's no one out this late...  
> You look around.  
> ...?  
> There's a vague shape in the fog over by the gas station...  
> You should get out of here.  
> You keep walking back towards your apartment.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I don't need or want your approval."  
   
> Adachi snorts.  
   
Adachi  
"Liar."  
   
> There's something strangely tender about the way he says that, that tenses up your shoulders. It's almost fond.  
> You _don't_ care about Adachi's approval.  
> To prove it, you hang up on him and shove your phone into your pocket.  
 

 **> Your Apartment...**  
   
> Outside your apartment building, you suddenly think of the earsplitting crack of the gunshot and the blood splatter.  
> Mello is dead. You killed him. You shot him in the head with his own gun.  
> You shot him while looking into his eyes and now he is _dead._  
> It feels like murder.  
> This occurs to you with a shuddering intake of breath-- _it feels like murder._ More so than just writing someone's name on a piece of paper. This was visceral. It was so much more real. The material impact of the act itself; the gunshot, the recoil, the blood. The weight of his corpse slumping.  
> You can smell gunpowder and blood right now. The smell of it is stuck to your skin, clinging to your clothing.  
> He was so frightened.  
> He was so _small_.  
> Sayu's age...  
> You feel very dizzy. The ground shifts underneath you, so you grab at the side of the building to make sure you don't fall over.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Shit."  
   
> Your mind is racing...  
> Everything is moving too fast. Images and thoughts trip over themselves and jumble together.  
> Mello's heart pounding under his skin, Sayu's trembling hands, Sayu's voice hoarsely telling you _it's just circumstances_  
> couldn't be much older than Sayu maybe nineteen maybe twenty at a stretch  
> there is blood in your mouth and on your hands and it's soaking through your skin  
> he's dead he's dead he's dead you won and he's gone forever now and you can feel the chafing under the cuff on your wrist and soft breath on your neck and a bruise forming where he kicked you  
> ...  
> You can't think straight at all.  
> You puke into the bushes outside your building.  
> ...There wasn't much of anything in your stomach, so it's mostly bile. You're not sure when you last ate a meal.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Ugh."  
   
> You wipe your mouth with the back of your hand and lean against the wall.  
> You try to think about only one thing at a time.  
> Your head is pounding.  
> You feel awful. Murdering someone up close like that was an unfamiliar experience, one that was not entirely pleasant. You've had this kind of reaction only once before... with the biker you had hit by a truck. The second person you ever killed.  
> You feel something very uncomfortable.  
> Doubt.  
> Should you have killed Mello...?  
> You'd like to dismiss it immediately, but the very fact that you're questioning it gives the doubt more credence. If it was obviously right, then you wouldn't be asking yourself if it was right.  
> You thought you were over this. Self-doubt is childish.  
> You do not feel guilty... but on some level you must. Why?  
> It must be because of what happened in the TV world. Your Shadow selves... these things you couldn't accept about yourself, fragmented parts of you, were more fully incorporated into the makeup of your person. You "accepted" them, after all. That was the cost for attaining the power of Persona... genuine acceptance of those pieces of you.  
> Those Shadows must be having some kind of subconscious effect on you. This is inconvenient, but good to know. You hadn't considered it as a possibility.  
> It's starting to get cold...  
> You stagger inside and upstairs.  
> Mello obviously had to die. People like him deserve it. Not just for what he did to your family, but for all of his other crimes as well.  
> You didn't make a mistake. You don't make mistakes. This will all work out in the end. Absolute confidence in yourself is the only way you can proceed; if you do not believe in your own infallibility, how do you expect anyone else to?  
**> You are the god of this world.**  
> You aren't a murderer.  
> You don't have anything to feel guilty about.  
> You unlock your apartment and stumble inside. You kick off your shoes and drop your jacket on the floor.  
> You need water.  
> One thing at a time.  
> Nothing feels familiar about your apartment; it seems strange and foreign and out of place.  
> Your hands are still shaking when you get a glass and fill it with water from the sink.  
> You rinse out your mouth and then drink a little bit of water. It tastes strange. Bad. There's an unpleasantness in the water here that you can't quite put your finger on. You pour out the water and lean over the kitchen sink, breathing hard and swaying a little bit.  
> This is fine. You are fine. You just need your heart to stop pounding.  
> Your entire body is shaking...  
> Your hands still smell like blood, so you roll up your sleeves and wash them with soap.  
> ...  
> It didn't help.  
> Perhaps it's just your imagination.  
   
Light Yagami  
"'Out, damned spot...'"  
   
> You snort.  
   
Light Yagami  
"How cliché."  
   
> You want to break something. This awful jittery feeling won't go away until you break something. You need to get rid of this energy.  
> You wash your hands again and splash a bit of water on your face. This seems to have no effect. Putting your hands near your face means you can smell the blood on them, even if it's entirely in your head.  
> Even though you're alone... you feel unmoored and unsteady. You don't know who you're supposed to be right now.  
> Your ragged breathing sounds like you're drowning. It's disgusting.  
> The kitchen lights flick on.  
   
Light Yagami  
"!?"  
   
> You whip around, reaching for a gun you aren't carrying. Your heart was already pounding, but it's beating even faster now. You can feel it hammering against your throat.  
> Adachi is in your apartment, again. He isn't wearing his jacket or his tie, his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, he is barefoot-- you didn't even see his shoes by the door-- and he's smirking at you.  
> You should have expected this. You should have known he would be here. Idiot. Idiot. Of course he's here.  
> His eyes flick over you uncomfortably slowly.  
   
Adachi  
"You look like shit. Even more so than usual."  
   
Light Yagami  
"Get out of my apartment."  
   
> He widens his eyes and affects a nauseating air of fake concern.  
   
Adachi  
"You sure? Seems like you could use some company."  
   
Light Yagami  
"......"  
   
> On further reflection, you're not sure you want to be alone. You know how to exist when there's another person around, but by yourself...  
> ...  
> Your hatred for Adachi feels solid. It's certain. Unshakeable. You understand it.  
> This other thing... whatever accepting your Shadows is doing to you...  
> You don't understand that at all. You don't know what to do with it.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Do what you want."  
   
Adachi  
"I always do."  
   
> Adachi crosses the room in a few quick steps.  
> He stops about two inches away from you.  
   
Adachi  
"How'd it feel? Shooting him?"  
   
> His eyes are glimmering with keen interest.  
> What does he want from you?  
> You know what he wants, in general-- the same thing everyone like him wants. Attention and power.  
> From you, though, you're not sure.  
> You think he wants you shaken.  
   
Light Yagami  
"Fine."  
   
> Adachi slams his hand into the cabinet above your head; it makes a sharp banging sound.  
> You jump and inhale sharply, startled, and Adachi presses a little closer.  
   
Adachi  
"Liar."  
   
Light Yagami  
"..."  
   
> How _did_ it feel?  
> ...  
> Complicated.  
> You sift past this strange shakiness, let your eyes flutter shut, and think about it again.  
> Mello was terrified. Powerless. Despite all his snarling posturing, he couldn't do anything to stop you. You didn't even need the Death Note, in the end.  
> For that moment, you were the only thing that existed to him. Your power over him was absolute. He belonged to you. You _were_ his god.  
> The sharp jolt of the gunshot was cathartic. Solid. It was more real than just writing his name.  
> It was better.  
> Your mouth tugs into a smile. There's no need to panic. The power to take away life is yours. It's your right. You're entitled to it. It's not _murder_ when God gives you a heart attack; no more is it murder for you to guide his hand to pulling that trigger.  
> "Time delivers us all to the same end," after all.  
> Every living person's lifespan is yours to control. You decide when people die. You alone.  
> Power hums under your skin. You are the Messiah. You are God.  
> ...But just when you think you've seized control of yourself once again, that you know who you are-- you know _what you are_ \--  
   
Adachi  
"Hahaha. Let me break down your options for you, Light: either admit you're the same as me, or admit you're terrified."  
   
> Your eyes snap open. Real indignation-- offense-- catches you and trips you up.  
> You are just a person, standing in your kitchen, shaking and penned in. Your grip on the counter is tight, but slipping. Your legs are weak. You're dizzy, still.  
> You aren't broken, aren't some weak fragile little thing, but you are suddenly, sharply, awfully human.  
   
Light Yagami  
"I'm _nothing_ like you."  
   
> Adachi laughs.  
> He presses closer, until his body is flush with yours-- the heat from his body is stifling. You feel crowded. Claustrophobic, almost.  
> This is a cheap intimidation tactic. Everything he does is clumsy, it's unpolished, it's _weak._ He hardly puts any effort into anything he does, just goes for the easiest hits, the path of least resistance.  
> You hate him more than you've ever hated anyone. More than you ever hated L. Adachi's very existence repulses you; his life is less than worthless. Hatred, heady and overwarm, keeps your heart beating too fast, your entire body off-balance. The intensity of it feels like too much-- you can't keep it contained, not like this, not with him so close.  
> You want to hurt him. You want to hurt him until he dies. The impulse itches at your hands, a pressing urge to do a thousand different things at once-- smash the glass in the sink and slam the broken glass into his stomach and _twist_ , grab him by the hair and slam his face into the floor until his skull shatters, bite down on his neck and rip out his throat with your teeth.  
> Your ears are ringing.  
> Adachi takes your face in one hand, fingers curled under your chin, thumb brushing against your mouth.  
   
Adachi  
"You're enough like me to be interesting."  
   
> Adachi kisses you on the mouth.  
> Well... with a broadly generous definition of what constitutes a kiss. More accurately, Adachi smashes his mouth against yours and bites at you, digging his short fingernails into your skin.  
> Shock freezes you, for a moment, renders you completely motionless and somewhat horrified. But the pounding insistent desire to rip him to pieces come screaming back and unlocks your limbs.  
> This has to be violence enough, for now. You can't kill him, but you can burn off some of this energy that's threatening to vibrate you out of your skin. You can hurt him.  
> You lean heavily on the counter and grab a fistful of Adachi's shirt and bite back with a muffled snarl.


End file.
